


Of Mother and Machine

by imagine0314



Series: Sobeck Women [2]
Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Bisexuality, F/F, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Other, Post-Canon, Psychological Trauma, Vignette
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2020-01-07 06:40:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 124,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18405200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imagine0314/pseuds/imagine0314
Summary: Sometimes fate provides you with a second chance. When it does, you take it.  Aloy saw the chest pad of the surprisingly well preserved environmental suit reading "cryo-stasis," and froze. Could Elisabet Sobeck, the woman she'd searched for all this time, still be alive?She wasn't about to waste the opportunity.





	1. Awakening

The thing that scared her the most was the loneliness, the bitter realization that she was the only one left. 

The only human being alive on the surface of the planet. 

The silence had been deafening. 

She'd said her goodbyes to GAIA and the Alphas days ago, having lost contact the moment she re-engaged the manual lock on the bunker. It had to be that way--any escaping signal would have attracted the swarm, the whole damn reason she was out here in the first place. 

Still, she didn't feel too raw about it. In a way, this was just. She'd spent over a year working herself to the bone to save the earth, yet had sentenced millions to die in Operation Enduring Victory. In some small part of her mind, this was just as much relief as it was penance. She deserved this, the rest and the torture to reach it. 

She'd long since lost feeling in her legs, trudging mile after mile, following the built-in GPS in the helmet. Survival was excruciating, subsisting on just the intravenous water ration in the suit. She hadn't eaten or really slept since leaving, but what did that matter? She'd be dead soon. And sleep was for the dead.

The ranch had been in better shape than she'd expected, probably too small a blip in the middle of nowhere to attract much attention. She'd stalked around the halls, touching the edges of the familiar doors and hallways through thick layers of metal and plastic. How she wished she could feel the well worn wood with her own hands. 

Everything was exactly as she'd left it, as the servitors she'd purchased had maintained it. Elisabet hadn't come back here in years, but now it felt right. Coming home. There was something poetic about returning to where you came from, she supposed. 

Or maybe something just sad and final but comforting all the same. 

She plucked the old globe trinket from her childhood dresser, turning it in her hand. An alarm softly beeped in the background, alerting her that the suit's oxygen supply had nearly depleted. Not long now. Not long until she could sleep.

Her feet felt heavy and it was getting late. One last sunset on the ranch seemed fitting. 

Elisabet clutched the globe in her right hand, softly closing the door behind her. Pictures lined the hallway and she forced herself not to linger on her mother's smile, not to spend time wishing things had played out differently. Not to think of GAIA and how much she'd grown. Not to think of Samina's brilliant mind or soft touch. Hell, not to think of Travis' antics, which would almost be welcome now.

She trudged outside, taking a seat on the familiar bench, turning the globe in her hand. The sun was getting low, though the colors weren't the same brilliant pink and orange she had hoped for. Instead, the dust and ash of a dead planet muted the sky. It would have to do.

The alert beeped again, this time signaling complete oxygen depletion. She quickly silenced it, wanting these last minutes to be hers alone. No distractions. 

She breathed slowly, knowing there were only a few minutes left. Her eyes began to feel heavy as she let the combination of sleep deprivation and slow-building hypoxia encroach. She didn't bother with what-ifs, or should-have-beens. Those were a waste of time now. Dreams of a life unlived. Dreams of a future she'd never see.

It was calming, really, the approach of death. But still, the silence bothered her, the only sound the slowing _thud_ of her heart in her chest. Each beat slower than the last. 

She wasn't terribly religious, more a woman of science than anything else. Still, she hoped that maybe she'd find her mother on the other side, whatever that was. Even if it was just the endless stretch of the last second her mind would ever process.

Her lungs sighed their last breath, her ribs felt the final pulse of her heart. Somewhere, in what seemed like miles away to her oxygen-deprived brain, she heard faint whispers: 

_Emergency cryo-stasis activated._

Whatever those words meant, so distant and quiet now, it didn't seem to matter all that much.

She took one last look at the globe before aiming her eyes at the horizon. 

\------

Cold. 

It was cold.

She couldn't stop shivering. It was violent, convulsive, uncontrollable. Adrenaline surged through every vein, her heart hammering as she gasped for breath. 

Where? What? How? The world spun and distorted, as if seen through thick, curved glass.

Words floated by in the distance.

_"CYAN, what's happening to her?"_

_"Cryogenic reanimation is a physically stressful event, one with many risk factors. This is likely why it was not chosen as a practical solution. A slow return to normal body temperature is recommended protocol, though the suit's readings also indicate dehydration and malnutrition."_

Her head was swirling, barely able to catch anything. But they _were_ voices. Was she alive? Or was this...something else?

Powerful arms circled her, and suddenly she was reminded of her mother. Warm and strong. They pulled her body up and over gently, though any movement felt like dull pain. The shaking wouldn't stop. The bright blue blur near her seemed to vibrate with energy. 

Dead or alive? _Dead or alive?_

She really didn't know. Maybe it was better not to. 

She felt heavy, calming layers draped over her frigid skin. The same warm hands and arms tending to her softly in hushed tones. There was a scent so familiar, like someone who often worked outside, like her mother had when tending to the ranch. She tried to open her eyes and take in her surroundings but everything looked blurred, impressionism come to life. A shock of reddish-orange caught the corner of her eye and again she was taken back to memories of her mother tucking her in. This felt...familiar. Familial? Thoughts weren't coming with the speed she was used to. Maybe...maybe this really was whatever came after. 

Maybe she'd finally come home.

 _"Here, take a sip of this,"_ the voice urged, and she wasn't about to resist. Suddenly the arms were helping her lean forward and a small ceramic bowl met her lips, the cool water soothing her throat. How long had it been since she'd had anything to drink? 

Everything ached, like she hadn't moved in too long, muscles sore and tense. Her body continued to shiver involuntarily, every inch of her felt like she had just endured the worst stabbing-cold winter of her life. Suddenly the warm hand was holding hers, the heat radiating off of it permeated through her very being, calming the animal fear that had resided at the back of her mind. It was the only thing that helped ease the shivering, if only a bit.

 _"Rest now,"_ the voice insisted quietly. _"I'm not going anywhere."_

\------

Days passed. Or was it weeks? It was hard to tell. Elisabet imagined it was like being born all over again, even if she felt like she was dying. Everything came back in small, painful pieces. Sight, hearing, mobility, speech. And all along the way, the warmth that had ushered her body back into the world stayed by her side, just as the voice had promised it would. 

Elisabet was slowly coming to the realization that the world around her no longer made sense. Had changed in ways she couldn't account for. The haze that filled her head lifted day by day, and as her vision cleared and sharpened, she came to the horrifying conclusion that the figure who had reminded her so much of her mother, in fact wore her own face. A youthful version, albeit familiar. 

Where was she? The facility she was in looked...damaged. Old. Had she somehow been brought to Elysium? Where were the others? And why the _fuck_ was she being cared for by a girl who looked like her mirror image, dressed like she came out of some fantasy novel? Slowly, her strength began to return as did her demand for answers. While the strange girl was out, she'd finally gathered herself, slowly sitting up on the makeshift bed.

"What are you?" she asked the floating blue orb in the center of the room. Clearly, it was an AI. But which one? 

"My designation is CYAN. Caldera of Yellowstone Analytic Nexus. I was designed as part of Project Firebreak."

"The project run by Anita Sandoval?" she asked, incredulously.

"You are aware of her work. I admit this is pleasing to hear."

"I...I knew Anita," Elisabet admitted. 

"I miss her a great deal."

"She told me about your emotional development once, in confidence. It's the reason I had her join me as a Gamma on project Zero Dawn. In fact, she was someone whose experience I highly valued when creating GAIA."

"I have been informed about GAIA, but have regrettably never networked with her. My last communication from Doctor Sandoval indicated that I was to hide my signal and go into hibernation. After I awoke, I was...hesitant to re-establish connections. I mourn her loss," CYAN admitted.

"Her loss?" Elisabet repeated, stunned. What the _fuck_ had happened?

"Forgive me, but I believe I have overstepped my bounds. I am certain this is something Aloy will wish to speak with you about in great detail."

"Aloy? Is that the girl who's been watching over me?"

"Correct."

"CYAN, what's going on? Why does she look like me?" Elisabet asked, terror slowly mounting in her gut. 

"Doctor Sobeck, I hold you in the highest regard, but I have been instructed by Aloy to withhold information until she is able to inform you herself. Please understand she is dedicated to helping you during this transition. I, too, believe this is the correct course of action. Please rest now, Doctor. Aloy will return shortly."

And just like that, the blue light disappeared, clearly wanting to cease contact.

"Goddammit!" Elisabet swore. This wasn't good. This couldn't be good. Whatever had gone wrong had gone _really wrong._ Was GAIA gone? Had they succeeded? Where were the other _people?_ Why did the Firebreak facility look more like a ruin than a control center built twenty-five years ago?

Her stomach turned and knotted. She might have puked if she'd had anything in her. How long had it been since she'd eaten? How long had it been...? How long...? But the fatigue pulled at her again, weighing her back down. She had to find out...needed to...

But she'd walked so long...so, so long. Hadn't she earned her final rest?

Her own thoughts echoed back at her:

_Sleep is for the dead._

\------

"Jesus, fuck," Elisabet breathed, on the verge of hyperventilating. 

"I know...I know it's a lot to take in," Aloy said, softer than she'd ever been with just about anyone. 

Elisabet's jaw clenched, pulling the layers of warm quilts around her shoulders. She couldn't believe what this girl had just told her. GAIA was gone. The Alphas were gone. APOLLO was gone. And suddenly, the same feeling of isolation and loneliness she'd felt at the ranch began to seep back in. 

And yet this girl was here. This girl who looked exactly like she had at that age. Who stared back at her with a face she knew so well but with a life that felt so foreign.

"H-how long?" Elisabet asked. "How many years?"

"Nearly a thousand," Aloy replied quietly.

"A _thousand?_ " Elisabet repeated, empty, eyes blank.

Aloy reached for Elisabet's hand, attempting to comfort her. The older woman flinched, still in shock, causing Aloy's face to fall harshly. "I'm...I'm sorry," the girl said. Damn. How was she messing this up already? She'd wanted so badly to find Elisabet, to find some common ground, some bond. Maybe even something more like family. Like a mother. And now she was being rejected, all over again.

"I'll understand if this is too much. If...if I'm too much," Aloy began. "As I searched for the Alpha registry, I found your logs. I know you were repulsed by the idea of the Lightkeeper program. I know what I am must bother you."

Elisabet's hands were shaking. She'd seen a lot in the months leading up to the end of the world. Horrific, terrible things. Maybe this was it. Maybe she'd finally lost it. Had some mental break. But the steel in the girl's eyes and the sincerity of her tone told Elisabet that as much as she might have wanted to pretend otherwise, it had all really happened. She'd never been one to dwell, but just how could anyone handle this? How had _this girl_ handled it all?

"Don't get me wrong, I appreciate everything you've done for me. Everything you did for GAIA. I just...I need some time, Aloy. I need to process this," she said, sidestepping what the young woman had said about the Lightkeeper protocol. She couldn't even begin to sum up her feelings on _that_ one. Not just yet, anyway. "Can you release the restrictions on CYAN? I'd like to talk to it and poke around in its code a little. Get myself reacquainted with life, I guess."

The girl nodded silently, clearly upset by her reaction. Were those hints of tears in her eyes? Dammit. 

_"You're fucking it all up, Lis,"_ she thought to herself. 

But it was too late now. Maybe she could fix things between herself and Aloy. This girl, this clone, this...what was she to her? A copy? A mistake? No. Not that. Certainly not that. Maybe something more. One thing at a time. She needed to her get head straight before she could work on the interpersonal. Her social skills had always been a little awkward and blunt, so at least _that_ was normal. 

Aloy touched something on a control panel and walked out, leaving only silence behind her, head hanging low. 

This was not the meeting she had imagined.

\------

Aloy stood at the edge of the observation deck, hand gripping the steel railing. She let the frosty air whip her cheeks, the cold providing a clarity she couldn't get inside. Luckily, spring was on the way and the Cut was slowly beginning to thaw--well, as much as it ever did. Her head hung heavy and her heart heavier, realizing that her hopes for finding Elisabet had been childish at best. How could she have expected this woman who knew nothing about her to suddenly fill some void in her life? This woman who had never had time for a child of her own, who had expected to die back on her family ranch, who had unexpectedly been thrust into the future. 

She was naive and she knew it. She'd told Elisabet too much, too quickly, and she'd ruined it all. Hot tears trailed their way down her cheeks and she grimaced. She felt _weak_ , weak in the way the Nora had always believed--motherless and without purpose once again. 

Maybe she wouldn't stay. Elisabet was her own person, she could do what she wanted. It wouldn't be fair to lash the woman to her own private quest. She still had to attempt to rebuild GAIA, after all, and that wasn't going to happen on its own. Nor was it fair to expect Elisabet to help. She'd done her duty. 

Died for it, even. Or at least tried to. 

She sighed audibly, casting her eyes away from the Firebreak facility, hot shame and embarrassment welling up in her. The older woman hadn't even had the heart to admit just how much her presence disturbed her. How having some _copy_ with her face was an abomination. Before she could even control it, Aloy turned, punching her right fist into the nearby ice. It cracked beneath her knuckles, spider-webbing out like a shockwave from the point of contact. 

"Damn," she hissed.

She shook her hand, knuckles bleeding freely on the snow. A wry, unhappy grin spread on her face. It was proof that if she was nothing but a _copy_ , at least she was still flesh. Even if she'd been birthed by a machine, something _mechanical_. Suddenly, she was glad she'd glossed over the details of her exile due to it. Elisabet didn't need to know her sob story. It was clear that wishing for some magical mother from the past wasn't going to make it so.

Self-pity would only get her so far, and Rost never would have permitted it. She shook out her hand some more, the blood sinking into the white in heavy drops. 

Well, the least she could do was hunt and scrounge up some food. Then she'd tell Elisabet she would be on her way. 

Alone.

Again.

\------

She must have spent a solid six hours poring over the information contained within CYAN. The AI appeared to confirm everything the girl had told her. In some way, it was calming. Elisabet had always been most at home with technology, tinkering away at something or other. And somehow, even though she was hearing the same facts and more, it soothed her to know it was concrete. It was fact. It was data. It was detached, it was permanent. Or maybe it was just that she felt safe interacting with CYAN. An AI. A known quantity. A project she'd heard of time and again for the last twenty years. Or was that a thousand and twenty years? She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to alleviate the ache building there.

CYAN had given her the little details. The ones a person naturally would leave out. The details that began to give her hope. The world outside was habitable. There were plants, and animals, and clean air and water. There were mothers and children and _societies_. Even though APOLLO had been lost, humanity had persevered. So it wasn't all for nothing. Her colleagues. Her _friends_ hadn't died completely in vain. 

She hadn't died in vain.

It wasn't complete, though. Not all of the flora and fauna had been brought back. It had always been the intention that with the educational guidance of APOLLO humanity would eventually work in tandem with GAIA, building an understanding of what the ecosystem could handle, and manually enact the revival of the remaining species. 

But GAIA was gone and the terraforming system was becoming increasingly unstable. That's what Aloy had told her. Aloy who had seemed so saddened by her reaction. Who seemed to--and apparently did--carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. She understood why GAIA had created her. It was logical. It was, perhaps, the AI's only viable solution. And still, part of it stung. This girl who was hers, and not. Who was somehow tied to her in a way she couldn't describe. Who had felt familiar and safe in her first waking hours but seemed desperate for her approval all the same. 

_"It makes sense, Lis. She's just barely an adult. A child, really,"_ she thought. 

Oh god. A child. Elisabet wracked her brain. Aloy hadn't told her much about her upbringing or any family, just that she was part of a tribe. Hell, did she _have_ a family? The girl had known about how GAIA had gestated her in a Cradle. Who exactly had taken care of her? Just how rough had her life been? Elisabet had become so embroiled in her own thoughts that she hadn't taken a moment to consider the very person who had rescued her. Fuck. She knew the circumstances weren't great, but she'd been selfish all the same. It wasn't like her. 

She resolved to make it up to Aloy. Surely, they could get off on a better foot. But where was she? 

"CYAN, where did Aloy go? Shouldn't she be back by now?"

"My ability to monitor the external world is mostly limited to areas pertaining to the maintenance of Project Firebreak and to the volcanic activity of the caldera. I am unable to detect her, but the door she exited through leads to an observation deck."

Before she knew it, she was up and moving toward the exit, a sudden strong urge to make things right overtaking her still-weak legs. 

\------

"Aloy?" Elisabet called. "Aloy, you out there?"

She stepped tentatively onto the observation deck, wearing boots and a thick shawl she'd borrowed from the girl's belongings. It was useful having a clone--everything fit. 

Jesus, it was cold. What time of year was it? She knew she was near Yellowstone, but should there have been this much snow? How much about the climate and weather had changed? Her eyes darted around the deck, following a set of footprints until the bright color caught her eye.

Blood.

Oh no. 

There was a small puddle on the snow, and more still on the ice near it, a small dripping trail leading off to the side. Her throat tightened and gut twisted. Had someone hurt her? A fire began building in her chest, one that took her off guard. She'd seen so many people die in the months leading up to Zero Dawn's launch and now she knew even more were gone. Somehow, she couldn't fathom letting anything happen to Aloy. It hurt deeply to even consider. It felt like the line that couldn't be crossed. Maybe it was how kind the girl had been to her, or how familiar she felt, or even just the knowledge that despite the millennium that had separated them, she was still part of her. Biology had this funny way of tethering people together.

"Aloy!" she shouted again. 

Her pulse began to pick up, the sinking feeling of fear settling low in her belly. The loneliness came rushing back. 

A flash of red seeped into her vision. "Aloy!" she called, and this time the huntress returned her call with a small nod. 

Elisabet jogged forward, wrapping the girl in her arms. "I was scared something had happened."

Aloy stiffened beneath the embrace, all at once overwhelmed by the concern and the recognition that it was something she'd only dreamed of. 

"Where were you?" Elisabet asked, releasing the girl.

"Hunting. Thought you could use some food. Your suit said you hadn't eaten in days."

"Your hand!" Elisabet exclaimed, looking down at the fist clenching a pair of strung up rabbits. The blood had become thick and dried, the knuckles were swollen and turning a painful shade of black and blue. "Give me that," she said, taking Aloy's hand in her own. "What happened, kiddo?"

Aloy's cheeks burned and blushed. Her eyes were cast down. "Punched the ice," she mumbled.

She'd done this to _herself?_ It dawned on Elisabet that she had probably made Aloy feel terrible. She'd been so shocked and afraid and guarded earlier, and had never stopped to consider how her reaction must have hurt the younger woman. She found her own cheeks burning in guilt, a mirror image of the girl.

"Will you let me clean this up for you?" Elisabet asked softly. 

Aloy felt conflicted. She had resolved to leave. Resolved that she wouldn't stick around someone who clearly didn't want her. But now, faced with the comfort she'd so desperately wanted, she felt a deep pull inside her, begging her to acquiesce. 

"A-all right," Aloy choked out, a lump forming in her throat. 

She felt weak inside, accepting. 

But perhaps she had earned this one small indulgence before they parted ways.

\------

"CYAN, are there any medical supplies left in the facility?"

The blue orb sprang to life. "Yes, Doctor Sobeck. I will highlight the area on the display."

Aloy busied herself with skinning and preparing the rabbit, building a small fire outside near the entrance. She worked quickly, only impeded by the ache of her hand. She gritted her teeth against it. It was her own fault, after all.

She combined the meat with some dried herbs and root vegetables she still had in her supplies nearby, letting the small pot she'd purchased from the Banuk traders bubble slowly, the scent wafting back from outside into the room. 

The ache in her fist continued to build. She shouldn't have been so stupid. She shouldn't have accepted Elisabet's help. It was only going to lead to disappointment. She trudged back inside, eyes aimless and knuckles throbbing.

A clanging rattled Aloy from her thoughts as Elisabet opened the metallic first-aid kit, gesturing for the girl's hand.

Aloy reached out, allowing the other woman to take it. "This is going to sting," Elisabet warned.

She dabbed the blood away with the small tube of antiseptic, causing Aloy to hiss. "It's okay," Elisabet assured. "It's okay."

Elisabet slowly and gently wrapped Aloy's injured hand with a bandage, buying time to come up with something better to say.

"Why are you doing this for me?" Aloy asked, biting her lip. "I thought...I thought that you didn't...that you were repulsed by me. By what I am."

Elisabet's movement faltered, her hands resting on the girl's. "Aloy, what you are...is remarkable."

The younger woman's eyes watered, but she refused to let the tears spill, instead knitting her brows together. "What...?"

"Everything you told me. Everything CYAN confirmed. What you've achieved is nothing short of astounding," Elisabet said.

Aloy kept her eyes aimed at the ground, shoulders trembling. Suddenly every self doubt was pouring out of her mouth, faster than she could understand. "What I've done doesn't change _what I am,_ " Aloy retorted, somewhat angrily. "I know how you felt about the Lightkeeper program. I have the files on my Focus. I know you didn't want this," she said, her free hand gesturing to her chest. "That's why...that's why I'm going to go. I'm leaving at dawn. GAIA made me for a purpose. A tool. I have to work to rebuild her. That's why I exist. You...you deserve your freedom from all of this, and you shouldn't be forced to be around me. Around something as _unnatural_ as me."

The older woman's eyes went steely. "Listen to me," Elisabet said, rather harshly. She took Aloy's chin in her hand, tilting the huntress' face level with her own, green-gold eyes meeting their mirror. "You are not a tool," she began. "You want to know why I opposed the Lightkeeper protocol? That's why. I never wanted to use another person that way. As a means to an end. You have a choice, Aloy. You always had a choice, and GAIA knew that. She never would have forced you to do what you did. If she'd wanted to, she could have kept you in that Cradle your whole life, repaired a servitor and had you raised to know only your purpose. Instead, she gave you to the world and hoped you'd find your way back. And you did."

Aloy's eyes glassed and reddened, her jaw tight. Was she really going to lose her composure in front of this woman she barely knew? Was she really going to allow herself this vulnerability? She hadn't earned it with Elisabet. She didn't deserve it. They barely knew each other.

Instead of a response the girl swallowed thickly, knowing that if the words escaped her throat only sobs would take their place.

"And you are _not_ unnatural," Elisabet insisted. "I don't know who put that in your head but nothing about you is fake or artificial. Do you know how that tank worked?"

"I-I know I'm a copy. I know it made me."

"Do you know how that happened? I spent hours in a lab getting every kind of sample taken. Blood. Cells. Tissue. That's what made you. Just like every other person on the planet."

The tears were openly spilling down Aloy's cheeks while Elisabet continued to wrap her hand. "Look, I'm not...I'm not great at this. I was always more comfortable behind a computer terminal than dealing with messy emotions. It made me good at what I did. It let me block everything else out and focus on the work. But I need you to know that this isn't nothing. You aren't nothing to me," Elisabet said.

Aloy nodded in a small, almost imperceptible movement. "What are we?"

"I don't know just yet, kiddo. I just...you know what I thought as I was coming to? When you woke me up?"

Aloy's expression betrayed her eagerness to find out.

"You reminded me of my mother," Elisabet admitted. "You were familiar. It felt warm. Safe. Like family."

"Family?"

Elisabet nodded, patting Aloy's hand now that the bandaging was over. "I remember you telling me you weren't going anywhere. It was the only thing that felt secure, the only thing I could focus on. And when I saw the blood outside I got scared in a way I can barely even describe."

Aloy blushed. "I couldn't leave you," she admitted. "I-I searched for you for so long. For answers. There's...my life was...I just--I needed you."

"And I need you," Elisabet said. "I have no idea what this new world is like and you seem to be pretty damn capable. If you'll have me, I want to help you rebuild GAIA. I made her. She's my responsibility. But I need you as my guide, Aloy. It's terrifying and exciting to know that, well, Zero Dawn succeeded. Even if it's not how I ever imagined. But I need you to show me the world and help me find my place in it. How does that sound?"

Aloy gave a small laugh, wiping her cheeks with the back of her good hand. "It sounds...good. Really, really good."

"We're a team, kid. And we'll figure out...whatever this is between us...together, okay?"

Elisabet pulled Aloy closer, into a tight hug, her hand gently rubbing the girl's back. They both pretended not to notice each other's tears or Aloy's hitched breath. 

For now, this was enough. They'd figure it out one step at a time. 

_Together._


	2. Touch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Re-publishing due to some light edits.  
> Note: I don’t have anyone proof this but me so sometimes I revise typos the morning after an upload. No content has changed.

There was an intimacy that came with time and proximity.

The longer Elisabet lived alongside Aloy, the more she became aware of the girl's movements, the sound of her breath, the feel of her gait. 

For as alike as they were, she couldn't help but find the differences in their physicality. Aloy moved with a confidence and surety that spoke of the intense skill she possessed as a hunter and warrior, so unlike her own confidence speaking in front of world leaders and academic scholars. The young huntress' shoulders were broader than her own, layered with an amount of muscle Elisabet had never had to build to survive. Her hands were calloused and rough, though the equally long fingers had no affinity for the keyboards that felt like second nature to the older woman. Aloy was athletic and lean, a body that had never lived with excess, had never slept in luxury. A body that echoed out the violence she'd endured, as if the large scar across her neck wasn't evidence enough. 

But for all her observations, there was a distance, an unease from the girl that prodded at Elisabet's mind.

Each time the older woman had eased past her, hand briefly resting against the girl's back, she stiffened. Whenever Elisabet reached for Aloy's hand, she could feel the tension between them. It was clear Elisabet's attempts at closeness weren't unwelcome, but it was as if Aloy was holding back, somehow afraid to let Elisabet in. Afraid to be vulnerable in front of her. She knew there had to be a story in there, one of the many details she was still learning about the younger woman. 

The girl's body spoke of hurt. It spoke of trauma. She just hoped it wasn't as bad as she imagined.

Over the last month, the pair had worked intensely with CYAN to take stock of the situation at GAIA Prime, to understand exactly what would be needed to repair the AI and reacquire her sub-functions. Elisabet understood better than anyone the dangers of allowing the terraforming system to become more and more erratic. If GAIA was her legacy, she damn well wasn't going to let her lie in ruin. She had to admit though, there was a selfishness to it as well. She wanted answers. To know how she survived. To understand the reasoning behind bringing Aloy into the world. She needed that closure. Hell, she'd earned it. Aloy uploaded all of the files and scans stored on her Focus to the glowing blue orb, allowing the three to see just how deep the damage went.

"So you found a processor at this Banuk camp? Am I pronouncing that correctly? In a crater?" Elisabet asked, incredulously.

Aloy nodded. "I've got those files too," she said, transferring them to CYAN's interface.

Elisabet gave a low whistle. "Damn. Must have been some explosion."

"It was," Aloy added. "The mountain is practically torn in two. People say the sound could be heard even further than Meridian."

"Meridian...the capital city that you defended against HADES, right?" Elisabet confirmed. The words rolled out of her mouth uncomfortably, like a child learning to read. She was still trying to process the entire story Aloy had told her. Still gaping in awe at what the girl had managed on her own.

Aloy gave her a quick smile to confirm the older woman had remembered correctly. "I can't wait to show it to you," she said. So far, they'd barely ventured out of the Firebreak facility, but the huntress could tell Elisabet was getting anxious, eager to see more of the world she'd saved.

Elisabet held her chin in her palm, thinking, eyes scrolling past the data on display. "Well, GAIA wasn't reckless. Never was. It looks like she calculated just how much damage to inflict to prevent HADES from having any resources at its disposal. But if my suspicion is right, she probably left the other processors intact. They were buried down deep at the center of the bunker. You didn't climb down that far, did you?"

Aloy shook her head. "It was a race against time. HADES would have destroyed the entire city and everyone in it. GAIA's repairs had to wait."

"Good girl, that was the right move," Elisabet said, patting Aloy on the shoulder. Again, the stiffness. The shock of touch. The subtle implication that for all her confidence, the girl had rarely experienced pleasant physical interactions. She'd been so sparse when talking about her life before setting out from her tribe...the Nora? Yes, that sounded right. Had they done something to her? Or was it simply all the violence it had taken to end the threat posed by HADES? 

Elisabet increasingly felt the need to know and increasingly dreaded the answer.

Aloy shook off the tension, "So what's a processor?"

Elisabet did a double-take. It was so easy for her to forget that for as intelligent as Aloy was, her world had barely touched the industrial revolution. While some forms of technology were commonplace, many appeared to be mythologized or misunderstood. The question would have made the older woman chuckle if not for the morbid sadness that settled in her gut, reminding her that this was a world that had lost all of its history, all of its knowledge, in the form of APOLLO.

"It's the way an advanced machine thinks. Like a brain," she said.

"And...and you designed this? Yourself?" Aloy asked, eyes getting wide.

That _did_ make Elisabet chuckle. "It wasn't like I came up with the concept alone. I had over a hundred years of research at my disposal. I went to school for this kind of stuff."

"Yeah but you created a _thinking_ machine," Aloy insisted. "Life...from--from _nothing_. How can anyone even _know_ that much?"

Elisabet turned and smirked. "You're just as smart."

"I know I'm good at what I do, but this--this is beyond me," the huntress said.

"Kiddo, you're genetically predisposed," she joked.

"Only ninety-nine point four seven percent. I'm not a perfect match," Aloy lamented, though unsure of why precisely it bothered her.

Elisabet smiled at her, "Cloning is never perfect, Aloy. And besides, I'm certain GAIA made sure that, if anything, you're the better of the two of us."

Aloy blushed a deep crimson, changing the subject. "So what do we have to do to fix it?"

Elisabet's brows knitted together, considering. "Based on what your Focus is telling me, it'd be better to build a new one than try to salvage the old. CYAN, are you capable of any manufacturing?"

The blue orb glowed brightly, "Yes, Doctor Sobeck. Of my remaining facilities in and near the caldera, I am capable of limited fabrication to suit the needs of volcanic eruption circumvention, which includes my own maintenance. I am certain that you could create a new processor for GAIA by using the schematics of my own as a base and modifying as necessary."

For the first time since waking, Elisabet felt like she was in her element, that things somehow made sense. "We're going to make this work, Aloy," she promised, rubbing the girl's arm. 

The huntress gave a lopsided smile, allowing her shoulders to relax just a bit.

_"We're going to make this work."_

\------

Aloy was out, gathering fresh water and food. 

It gave Elisabet time to think. 

She _should_ have been focused on figuring out what parts of the processor CYAN was capable of creating and which ones would have to be sourced elsewhere but instead she found herself mulling over the events from earlier. How she had touched Aloy's bare arm and felt the scars that lined her skin. The scars that were hidden to most of the world by virtue of her pale complexion. 

But she hadn't imagined it. And now she worried more. 

What had Aloy been through? Sometimes it seemed like though the girl was over twenty years her junior, she had seen death and violence on a scale only comparable to Elisabet's own. It wasn't fair to her, and again the older woman felt the sting of knowing that _this_ is exactly why she'd opposed the Lightkeeper protocol. She'd never wanted some piece of her to suffer the world she'd built.

Maybe Aloy would open up to her, eventually. But Elisabet knew she couldn't force something like that. She cringed, thinking back to the counselors at the Zero Dawn facility, the horror stories that filled the candidate logs she had to review. The sheer amount of human suffering encapsulated in a singular end-times event. She'd had to have a counselor talk her down more than once during the vetting process. She doubted Aloy had ever had such assistance in a world that didn't yet have modern medicine.

She clicked away at the keyboard, trying to busy herself with the task at hand. She typed in a list of components and began comparing the two processors.

"CYAN, generate a parts breakdown estimate and let me know what you'll be able to manufacture on your own," she said.

"Based on available data, my facilities should be capable of fabricating ninety-five percent of parts. The remaining components will need to be sourced or custom manufactured by someone who can specialize in complex small items. My own fabrication technology is not suited to create some of the smaller, more delicate pieces. Perhaps Aloy is acquainted with an artisan who can assist your efforts."

"Are the tribes really that advanced, CYAN? Someone could build what we need?"

"From the small sampling of human interactions I have had since coming back online, I have found the tribal peoples to be quite capable. You would be impressed with their ingenuity, Doctor."

She was certain that was true.

\------

Damn, Elisabet could tell. 

Aloy knew it, had caught the split-second of shock on the woman's face. She'd felt the scars, she'd felt the tension. Aloy wasn't used to opening up in front of others. Rost had been the only one. And even then, it was a reserved, quiet openness. Nothing like the naked vulnerability she felt around Elisabet, like a raw nerve laid bare. 

Maybe it was because she'd idolized the woman for so long. Imagined what it would be like if she had really been her mother. But...but that wasn't exactly right, was it? Just because she was born of her blood didn't mean she was born of _her._ The older woman had called them something like family, but it was unclear what that meant. It wasn't the same, and it didn't matter anyway if that's not how Elisabet felt about her.

She dreaded exposing that part of her that she still held close. The part that held the Nora and their fearful beliefs. The part that held Rost. That held the Proving. That held Helis' blade as it slid across her throat, splitting the skin effortlessly. She shook her head, her hand instantly leaping toward her scar. Her fingers traced the raised tissue there, running along the lines of phantom pain that burned and ached. 

The huntress was certain Elisabet had to have noticed that one. Most people did. But most people knew better than to ask about it and she didn't exactly invite questions.

She couldn't tell the older woman. She couldn't. Even thinking about it made a lump form in her throat and her heart pound. It was too much to let bubble up in her chest and she feared that if she began to speak about the horrors she'd endured that she'd never stop, all her strength leaving her in one endless confession. 

Still, the fact that Elisabet even wanted to remain in her presence was something. It soothed her in a way she was certain she hadn't felt before, though what it was, she couldn't exactly describe. Maybe it was knowing that for all the differences between them that they were made the same. That in some way, they inhabited the same body. Every time Aloy looked at Elisabet, she wondered if her face would mirror the same smile lines, the same beginnings of wrinkles around the eyes. She wondered if her hair would stay just as red, her stature just as confident. Aloy hoped so.

But with the hardships she'd endured already, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd even live that long.

\------

"Aloy, good news!" Elisabet exclaimed. "Looks like CYAN can do most of the heavy lifting for us with the exception of a few more intricate parts. Know anyone who can help us with that?"

The girl brushed off her boots and leggings, ridding herself of melting snow before pausing. "Hm...yeah I've got someone in mind. The Oseram are the best builders in the Sundom."

"The...Oser--what?"

"Oseram. They're a tribe from the north, they specialize in smithing and crafting. Experts with metal and forging. We should talk to Petra."

"The same Petra you said gave you cannons for Meridian?" Elisabet confirmed.

"The same. No forge burns brighter than hers."

Elisabet raised her eyebrows. "Damn, I'd love to meet this woman who builds _cannons_ in her spare time. She sounds like she'd be fun at a party."

"Good, because you're coming with me."

"What?" Elisabet asked. Though she knew the time had come. As excited as she was about seeing the world outside the Firebreak facility, she had to admit that she was anxious too.

"I'll need you there with me to give Petra the instructions. After, we can head toward Meridian to stock up and then on to GAIA Prime to repair everything. I'll override a few machines that will stay here and transport the processor to the mountain once CYAN is finished,” the girl explained. "Besides, you made me promise to show you what's out there. Don't you want to know?"

"Would it be bad if I admit how much it scares me?" Elisabet asked quietly.

Aloy was silent a moment. Elisabet? Scared? "But nothing scares you," she insisted.

A look that betrayed something deeper crossed the older woman's face. "If only that were true."

The moment stretched between them, neither wanting to be the one to let that dam burst. And so they continued on, patching over the words unsaid. 

"Anyway, you'll like Petra," Aloy continued. "She's like you. Smart. Inventive. But watch out--the Oseram love to drink and carry on. It can get pretty out of hand. Violent, even."

"Sounds like I'll like her even more then," Elisabet smirked.

This time it was Aloy's turn to look surprised. 

"What? You never saw me during my Carnegie-Mellon days. I was cool once!" Elisabet laughed.

"What does your temperature have to do with drinking?"

"Oh god, cool is--you know what, never mind. We'll get to it." 

\------

Aloy had been packing supplies and making preparations for the their journey west while Elisabet spent the days trying to re-work CYAN's processor base into something compatible for GAIA. Luckily the information stored on the girl's Focus had given Elisabet enough of a foothold for her to design with. The older woman was working tirelessly to create a version somewhat smaller than the one Aloy had found at the Banuk encampment, something a little easier to move.

The huntress laid in wait in the tall red grasses, searching for a machine powerful enough that it would be able to lift the processor all the way to GAIA Prime. She held her breath as the Frostclaw meandered along, unaware of her approach. It turned, its back to her, giving her the opening she'd been waiting for. Aloy leapt from her camouflaged hideout, spear in hand. She flipped it as she had dozens of times now, jabbing the blunt end with the override at the machine just as it started to become aware of her presence. 

"Easy there," she coaxed. "Just another minute."

This part always gave her butterflies. She was exposed with no defense. 

That's when she heard it, her stomach dropping--the roar of a second Frostclaw, angry and ready to strike. But she was so close now, and she needed this first machine undamaged. She silently pleaded for the override to move faster, finally breathing as the Frostclaw's eyes shifted to blue. She transmitted the coordinates of the auxiliary Firebreak facility to the machine using her Focus. "Go now!" she commanded it. "Wait for me there!"

The machine lumbered off, apparently accepting her commands and blissfully ignoring the roar that was now growing louder. 

Aloy turned, only to find a stream of blasted condensed chillwater heading her way. Her muscles took over--this wasn't her first tangle, nor would it be the last. She slid, nocking an arrow to her bow. She shot straight at the weak spot indicated by her Focus, the Frostclaw's chest plate. It staggered, letting loose a roar that was equal parts intimidation and frustration. It lunged its large body at her as she dove and rolled out of the way, pulling another two arrows from her quiver. She spun on her heels, facing the Frostclaw. It reared up on its hind legs, and she loosed the two arrows.

Not quite fast enough. 

The Frostclaw's icy projectile soared back at Aloy as her arrows met their mark. The chest plate exploded into a mass of chillwater, destroying the machine. The huntress pulled her body against its momentum, but some of the stabbing-cold liquid sheared against her throat, right over her scar. 

She screamed, the liquid so cold it burned like Helis' blade all over again. And suddenly, she was there. Powerless. Struggling. The feel of the pulse in her neck as his fingers dug into her throat. Her eyes were wide but unseeing, the only sound his repeated words in her head:

_"Turn your face to the sun, child."_

Just as instantly, Aloy returned to the present, hands grasping at a wound that had long since healed, the only indication something was amiss was the slight burn of the chillwater, but that would calm soon enough. Her hand shook and she tried her best to shrug it off. Elisabet was relying on her, and she couldn't afford to let her _weakness_ bring them both down. 

\------

The Frostclaw lingered just outside the Firebreak facility as Aloy had ordered. She patted its flank as she walked back to the metallic deck. "Stay in the area," she told it. It blinked lazily and laid down under a tree nearby, keep a short distance between itself and the observation deck. Good. She really didn't need Elisabet walking face-first into a machine without knowing how to handle herself.

"Hey, you okay?" Elisabet greeted, looking up from her interface with CYAN. 

"Of course," Aloy responded shakily, almost defensively. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You look pale is all," Elisabet said softly. "My mom could always tell I was either sick or scared when the color left my face."

"You miss her," Aloy said, intentionally changing the subject.

"I do," Elisabet admitted. 

"Do you...still wish she were here?" Aloy asked, now genuinely curious. 

Elisabet paused a moment. "I'm glad she didn't live to see the world end. That was a mercy. So in that regard, no."

Aloy's face dropped just a bit, surprised. "However," Elisabet continued, "I do wish she could have met you. She would have loved you. A lot."

The girl suddenly felt her cheeks blush and throat tighten. Was Elisabet implying...?

Suddenly the older woman cleared her throat and blinked quickly, "Sorry. Still chokes me up to talk about her sometimes. Especially when I could really use her guidance."

"We don't have to talk about your past," Aloy offered. 

"Maybe soon," Elisabet said, "we both can. I think it's important if we're in this together."

Aloy shivered, and not due to the cold. There was so much she still kept close to her. So much that was so hard to talk about, that had changed her, made her harder, colder, _damaged_.

Did Elisabet really want to hear it?

\------

Aloy had fallen asleep an hour or two earlier, but Elisabet couldn't help continuing to tinker on the new processor. She had to get it right, had to make it work, or else she had idea how they were going to reboot GAIA. Her fingers danced over a virtual keyboard so as not to make any noise. The girl had allowed her to borrow her Focus for the late night programming session, but damn she missed having one of her own. She wondered if more had survived and she could get her hands on one. She'd have to ask Aloy in the morning.

Elisabet turned and closed the interface, gazing across the room at the sleeping form laying curled up in her bedroll, the sound of her breath rhythmic and thick with sleep. She smiled a little. This was probably the only time she ever saw Aloy fully relaxed. Otherwise the girl always moved like something was ready to strike. But now, peacefully asleep, she looked younger. More like a child than the adult woman she was. 

Her mother really would have loved that girl.

Elisabet softly padded over, pulling up the quilt around Aloy's shoulders. The facility was nothing if not drafty and the girl had been generous enough to give Elisabet the thickest blankets, knowing she hadn't yet acclimated to such extremes. She sure hoped wherever this Petra was that it was warmer than here. She walked over to her own bedroll a few feet away, the facility now only lit with the dim blue glow that CYAN provided by request. Elisabet gathered the blankets around her, pulling them close to her shoulders. She turned on her side and gazed at the girl. They'd be leaving this place in a few days and Aloy would guide her into a world she'd only just had the barest glimpse of. She found herself in the same mix of excitement and anxiety at the prospect, but whatever came next, she was most glad that she'd be doing so alongside the girl. 

"Goodnight, Aloy," she whispered softly as sleep overtook her.

\------

It was the scream that woke her. 

It sent a chill down Elisabet's spine that was so primal, so deep in her gut, that it was like her ghost had tried to leave her body. 

Aloy. 

She had to get to Aloy. Had to _protect_ Aloy. She wasn't even sure why, but the urge overwhelmed her sense of self preservation as she scrambled toward the source of the sound. Elisabet squinted in the dark to see through the dim blue glow, looking for some certain death. She rushed faster than she thought possible to the girl, who was sat bolt upright, tears streaming down her face, her words still half mumbled through her waking nightmare.

Elisabet rushed to the girl's side, her hands on Aloy's shoulders. 

The girl's hands clawed at her neck, sweat beaded at her forehead. "I don't want to die, _I don't want to die,_ " Aloy mumbled. 

"Aloy, Aloy what's wrong?" Elisabet asked, panicked.

"...'s blood, so much blood...it burns. His blade burns," she whispered.

The older woman gave her a quick once over. No blood she could see.

"You had a bad dream," Elisabet tried to reason, softly. She rubbed her hands along the girl's arms, trying to ground her. Instead she was reminded of just how many thin scars she felt along the pale skin.

Aloy's eyes cleared somewhat, like she was finally awake. Tears brimmed over the waterline, "It really happened," she breathed.

And suddenly, terribly, Elisabet was able to put it all together. The still-pink, lengthy scar on her neck, the mention of a knife...someone had tried to cut the girl's throat once and she'd _lived_. It couldn't have even been that long ago, judging by the color. Maybe a year. 

A fire raged in Elisabet's chest. Someone had tried to kill Aloy, had tried to bleed her out. Her stomach turned at the thought.

"Shh," the older woman soothed. This was about her. "You're safe now. You're with me." It didn't even make sense to promise. She had no security in this new world. But it felt right to say, all the same. She adjusted her body around Aloy's, circling protectively like an animal. Elisabet let the girl drape her legs over her own while she wrapped her arms around the younger woman's shoulders. 

Aloy's chest heaved with each shuddering breath. 

"He--they--they killed everyone. Killed Rost. Killed Vala," the girl said, low and quiet. 

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Elisabet said. "But I'll listen if you do."

And almost before she could finish the sentence, the words spilled from Aloy's mouth. A steady stream of narrative, of rejection, of violence, of loss. All resistance fell away while the girl breathlessly recounted her status as an outcast, her home with Rost. Elisabet's chest ached, taking it all in. How could her people--the Nora, Aloy called them--have cast her out for simply being _born?_ Elisabet found herself stricken with guilt. The girl was made of her DNA and had suffered for it. Had suffered for emerging from a tank instead of a body. Somehow, she felt it was her fault. The younger woman detailed her relentless training, the challenge of the Proving, and finally, the Eclipse attack. The words came faster and faster and Aloy knew she couldn't stop. She was here. But she was also there. Always there. Always at the place where Helis' blade sank into her skin. Where she was too slow. Where she lost Rost.

Elisabet gently stroked the nape of the girl's neck with her thumb, her other arm gripping Aloy's shoulder. Physical contact was grounding and right now it was just as much for Aloy as it was for her. It was all she could do to continue listening, to not become a sobbing mess herself, half filled with grief on the girl's behalf and half with murderous rage against those who'd hurt her. Her heart broke for the younger woman, shattering her. Still, the girl's hands scrabbled near the scar, uneasy.

"I felt the blade burn through my skin. Tried to put pressure on the wound. Blood through my fingers," Aloy said in broken, fast sentences. "Rost pushed me over the edge of the mountain. Saved me. Explosions. Couldn't save himself."

The huntress was in the throes of hyperventilating, having barely taken a breath as she relayed her story. The anxiety in her body peaked, "I...I can't...I can't breathe. I can't. I..." Elisabet wasn't a doctor of medicine, but she was damn sure she was witnessing a panic attack stemming from some pretty severe traumatic stress.

"Yes you can, Aloy. You can."

"I...I can't...I..." she choked back.

What could she possibly do? She'd never been the one people went to for emotional support. She wasn't good at this. But the need to comfort the girl was unyielding. She might have called it _instinctive_. 

Elisabet took one of the girl's hands from her neck, placing the palm against the center of her own chest. She inhaled slowly. "Follow me, Aloy. Come on, girl. Slow now. Follow."

 _"Follow._ " 

Rost's voice rang in her ears alongside Elisabet's and together they cracked through the terror gripping her. She began to breathe in rhythm with Elisabet, feeling the rise and fall of the woman's ribs beneath her fingers. She calmed slowly, letting their synchronicity soothe her.

"That's right," Elisabet urged. "I've got you."

Her left hand slowly stroked the length of Aloy's arm and for once, the girl didn't tense beneath her. With her free hand, she tilted the younger woman's head toward her until she was pressed against her neck and collarbone, ear to her chest. Her thumb stroked along Aloy's tear soaked jaw while Elisabet whispered words of comfort to the form in her arms. It was strange, she realized. Aloy could overpower her even on her worst day and yet in this moment she seemed small, fragile.

Elisabet slowly, tentatively traced the scars on Aloy's arm as if to tell her it was okay to have them. That she wasn't broken because of them. That they meant she'd lived. Gingerly, she ran her thumb over the lengthy mark on the girl's throat in tranquilizing repetition. The pulse in the girl's neck began to slow. 

"I'm sorry," Aloy finally breathed, breaking the extended silence between them.

"Do not apologize to me, Aloy," Elisabet said. "I said we were in this together. I meant it."

"Why am I broken?" the girl asked, meekly, in a cracking voice Elisabet could already tell she'd never use in public.

"We all are," Elisabet said, simply. "Some more than others. And some repair themselves stronger than before."

"You too?"

"Me too," Elisabet whispered. "You don't live to see cities fall and people die without breaking a little. At least we have something in common."

Aloy gave a small, rough chortle in response.

Good. Kid had a dark sense of humor. Just more proof she was a Sobeck through and through. 

"Sleep now," Elisabet encouraged. "It's okay."

She could feel Aloy's eyes flutter against her skin, fatigue pulling at her. "...'s strange," she mumbled, falling faster and faster toward sleep.

"What is?" 

"Your heart feels just like mine," she said.

They stayed like that for some time, Elisabet gently rocking them both until she realized Aloy's breath had returned to the deep, slow rhythm of rest. There was certainly more to talk about but this felt like a real start. Felt like the girl had bared her soul enough for one night. Like she had bared her own. 

There was no moving Aloy, nor did Elisabet want to disturb her. Instead, she softly laid them both back, keeping the girl in the crook of her arm while she pulled the heavy quilt over both of them. 

What she'd seen tonight had scared her, deeply. Is this what her mother had felt every time something awful had happened in her own life? What she'd gone through didn't even compare. And now here she was, living alongside this teenager who had seen more than a lifetime's worth of bloodshed. All she knew now was the feeling reverberating in her chest. The deep-seated need to protect her. To keep her from harm as best she could. She was, after all, family--whatever that exactly meant. Elisabet had said it herself. 

Family.

A _Sobeck_ , through and through.


	3. Hammer to Steel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A somewhat lighter chapter focused on Elisabet. Don't worry, we'll get the angst back soon enough. Enjoy!
> 
> Warning: slight NSFW at the end

The settlement was just as alive and bustling as Aloy remembered it, the scent of smelting iron and copper lingering in the air. 

It had taken a pair of striders loaded down with all their combined belongings and a week's worth of travel to get there. The huntress might have been able to make the journey faster on her own, but she had made every allowance she could for Elisabet's sake. They had bid CYAN farewell, the AI continuing to work on the manufacturing needed for GAIA's new processor. 

Aloy was impressed with Elisabet's hardiness during the trip. She could tell the older woman was sore from riding on the back of a strider for so long, yet she hadn't complained. Hadn't said a word about the accommodations and travel that must have been so unlike the luxury the Old Ones lived in. Instead she'd spent the majority of the trip gazing at the earth and sky in childlike wonder, asking the girl countless questions about the lands she'd visited and animals she'd seen.

Elisabet's eyes had lit up as she took in the scenery, often talking at length about the various plant and animal species and how and why they were chosen for Zero Dawn, comparing and contrasting how the land used to look. Aloy hadn't had the heart to ask her what things had been like at the end of days, though she knew the thought had to be clawing at the back of the older woman's mind. There was a look--a mournfulness etched across Elisabet's face that she tried to hide for Aloy's sake. That she tried to block out. Most of the time. More than once, the huntress had caught a few mumbled words while Elisabet had slept:

_"...there's nothing left out there...can't even survive unless..."_

It had made Aloy's breath hitch to hear, the words whispered in slumber mirrored the holo-log she had rewatched so many times, just for another glimpse of the woman who now stood beside her. 

"So these are the Oseram?" Elisabet asked as they approached, eyeing the smoke rising from the encampment. 

"A splinter group," Aloy explained. "They don't answer to the ealdormen of the Claim. They answer to no one, actually. Except maybe Petra herself."

"Fascinating," Elisabet remarked, breathlessly.

"I'll summon Petra," Aloy offered. "It's probably best that we explain as much as we can to her. She's a straightforward woman and comfortable around the technology of the Old Ones--er--you know. _Your_ technology. I think she'll be willing to help if we just tell her the truth."

"I'm getting the feeling that won't be the case with everyone we meet," Elisabet noted.

"It'll depend on who it is, and what tribe they hail from. The Oseram have no taboo against technology like the Nora do, and the Carja openly welcome insights from the past. They claim their first king, Araman, learned numbers and writing from a book of the Old Ones."

Elisabet swallowed, taking it all in. 

"Are you nervous?" Aloy asked.

Elisabet grasped the girl's hand. "I remember being the last person alive on the surface of the planet. _Knowing_ I'd never see this. That it was a dream for a future I'd never live in. It's nerve wracking to think I'm about to see what we--what the Alphas, what humanity--left behind."

Aloy gently squeezed Elisabet's hand in reassurance, making the older woman begin to smile.

"Welcome to Free Heap."

\------

"Flame-Hair!" Petra greeted enthusiastically. She gave the huntress a firm clasp on the shoulder before turning her eyes to Elisabet. "Fire and spit, girl, there's two of you now?"

Aloy grinned and motioned to the woman beside her. "This is Elisabet. We're uh...we're...she's my--"

"We're family," Elisabet cut in, saving Aloy from further stammering. 

"Hammer to steel, of course you are! I've never seen a resemblance closer. I'm Petra Forgewoman--I run this place, Free Heap," Petra said, gesturing. Her eyebrow quirked up at the older woman. "Any family of Aloy's is welcome here. After all, she's the reason any of us are still standing."

"Thank you, Petra. Aloy speaks highly of you and from what I understand, you're a mind to be reckoned with," Elisabet said, doing her best to just hold a conversation without constantly gaping in awe at the notion that there were even people to talk to.

"Oh she does, huh? Well come on in and make yourselves at home, you two. I could use some more flattery in my life," she chuckled.

Aloy and Elisabet grabbed their belongings, releasing their striders to the plains. The pair walked with Petra as she lead them through Free Heap. Elisabet couldn't help herself, instantly launching into a barrage of questions regarding their crafting abilities and tribal particulars, all of which Petra seemed more than happy to answer, though it was clear she realized the queries were somewhat peculiar, as if explaining to someone who had _never even heard of the Oseram._

Elisabet smiled, talking easily with Petra. Even if the technology was ages behind anything the older woman had ever worked with, the fact that this Petra had come so far with no APOLLO to guide her was mesmerizing. Pride threatened to burst from her chest, knowing that for all the things that had gone wrong with Zero Dawn, this was proof that so much had gone _right_.

Petra opened the door to her steel and wood-framed home, holding the door for the two redheads. The sight of rooms with actual furniture and quilts and _real beds_ made Elisabet's shoulders relax. Finally, it was starting to feel like civilization. Warm, real, _alive_. Far more than the frozen Firebreak facility had felt, anyway.

The sun was getting low through the windows and the Oseram woman directed them to set down their belongings before turning to face the two. "So what brings you here, ladies? I know that look of determination and world-weariness on Flame-Hair's face. She has something to say," Petra laughed, gesturing at the girl. "But I also know that if just anyone could hear it, Aloy would have told me at the gates."

"It's...going to be a long story," Aloy admitted, looking sheepish.

"Ah, the Oseram love a good story--but over food and drink! It's not every day the 'Savior of Meridian' comes to grace us with her presence!"

"You're sure we're not imposing?" Elisabet asked, attempting to be polite. She had no clue what passed for etiquette these days, but she liked this Petra and wanted to make sure they got off on the right foot.

Petra eyed Elisabet up and down, mouth curling into a small grin. "I know that look on Aloy's face...which means I'm guessing I know it on yours too. There's something big happening and I want in," she said, her energy palpable. She turned to Elisabet and placed a friendly hand on her arm. "Besides, I've told Aloy before but--I have a weakness for restless women."

Elisabet blushed harder than she had in years.

\------

It seemed like nothing fazed Petra.

The three were gathered around her table, the living space illuminated by blaze-powered lanterns and a small fire. The food had since been eaten and Elisabet and Petra had moved on to mugs filled with Oseram drink--Scrappersap for Petra, a lighter ale for Elisabet and hot tea for Aloy, who still couldn't understand how anyone could drink _that stuff._

The Oseram had sat intently while Aloy and Elisabet wove their story, regaling the woman with the full, unabridged truth as Aloy had advised. Elisabet was impressed that Petra had followed it all so well, not even blinking at the mention of Zero Dawn or of an AI--a _thinking machine_ as the girl had explained. Instead, Petra seemed particularly astute, asking questions, constantly wanting to know how GAIA and CYAN worked, what powered them, how anything that complex could condensed into a functioning piece of hardware. Elisabet liked that, and took note of it. Petra was, above all else, a master craftswoman--she could respect that. Hell, she admired it.

Aloy continued on, rattling off the details to Petra while Elisabet chimed in where she could. Petra soaked it all in, absorbing every word, her face becoming softer and softer as the girl continued on, Aloy clearly struggling when it came to the subject of the Cradle and her origin. 

The Oseram took a slow sip from her mug. "So you're her mother," she said flatly in Elisabet's direction.

The gasp from the two redheads was audible, though if it surprised Petra, she didn't show it.

"Well...I...uh, I mean," Elisabet began, tripping over her words. How exactly could she sum up her relationship to the girl? She was a clone, bonded to her by identical DNA, but...that term just didn't feel right. Wasn't enough. Didn't do it justice. But was she Aloy's _mother?_ Is that what Aloy wanted? Is it what she wanted? Before she could spiral further in thought, the girl cut in.

"She didn't birth me," Aloy clarified, as if Petra had misunderstood. "The Cradle facility in All-Mother mountain did."

Petra took another deliberate gulp of her Scrappersap. "Caught that the first time, Flame-Hair. Hammer to steel, I stand by what I said."

Elisabet's eyes were cast down, fingers fidgeting over the rim of her mug before Petra placed her own on top of it briefly, stilling the motion.

"So, you were saying you needed a master builder?" Petra asked, changing the subject for the redheads' sakes. "You've come to the right place."

Elisabet cleared her throat, eager to move into the more comfortable territory of electrical design and engineering. "Aloy tells me you're the best there is. Some of the parts needed to reboot--er-- _reconstruct_ GAIA have to be made by hand. We were hoping you could help."

The Oseram woman's face lit up, her voice becoming more boisterous. "The girl's right. No other forge-fire sparks as _hot_ as mine," she said, looking at Elisabet with hooded eyes, chuckling. 

Elisabet blushed, again. Damn. This Petra certainly had no hesitation or shame. It was refreshing, really. Direct. Miles better than holo dating apps had been, anyway.

"Oh by the forge, I nearly forgot," Petra added. "I have something for you both." The Oseram got up from her seat and began digging in a nearby trunk, emerging with a handful of metallic triangles.

_Focuses._

"One of my men found them during a delve and I bought him out of his find. He didn't realize what he had, but he's no worse for wear. I knew I had to save them for you. This is the same device you wear, isn't it, Aloy? Before I left Meridian, Erend told me it's what you use to see scrolls of light."

The huntress turned them over in her hands, handing some to Elisabet. "They're Focuses, all right," the older woman confirmed. "But it looks like they could use some repairs. Think you could let me borrow a tool kit, Petra?"

The Oseram grinned, "You can fix them yourself?"

"You might say I too was a 'master builder'," Elisabet answered slyly. "I was a programmer--I taught machines how to work and think. But I'm no slouch with a little wiring either. I'm sure with some tinkering I can get their solar charging running again, get them working."

"Good, I like a woman who's not afraid to get her hands dirty," Petra smirked, finishing off the last of her Scrappersap. "You two are welcome to stay here as long as you need. I'd do anything for Aloy and if it means ending the Derangement by getting your GAIA machine back in working order, consider it done."

"Thank you, Petra," Aloy said, sincerely. 

The Oseram woman nodded. "Well it's dark as a dead forge and it sounds like we have our work cut out for us. I think I'm ready to hit the bed. Spare room's all yours. Come by my workshop tomorrow, Elisabet. We can work side by side. About time I had a little company," she said, grinning again.

Petra gave bid them goodnight and retired to her room, closing the door and leaving Aloy and Elisabet to themselves. The pair moved their packs into the spare room and Elisabet sighed contentedly at the sight of _actual pillows._ The two prepared for bed, making small talk as they changed out of their grimier traveling clothes. 

"So that went...well?" Elisabet said, tentatively.

"I knew I could count on Petra. The moment I needed help in Meridian, she led the charge, bringing every weapon she could make."

"She's a hell of a character," Elisabet mused. She paused, "Okay, I know I'm about a thousand years out of date but was it just me, or does that woman flirt over _everything?_ "

Aloy laughed softly. "Oh you have _no_ idea."

\------

Elisabet woke, pleased that she was finally feeling a little less sore from the ride in. She opened the door to find a set of Oseram work clothes hanging from a hook on the opposite side, a note pinned to them. The words were written in a script that resembled English just enough for her to make it out:

_"Thought these would suit you.” -Petra_

"These for you?" Elisabet asked Aloy.

"I have a set of Oseram leathers," Aloy responded. "I think they're _yours._ "

Elisabet tilted her face down, feeling her cheeks burn. This Petra was really laying it on, but she found she didn't mind. It was welcome, in a way. The end of the world hadn't exactly been great for her love life. It had been a long time, longer than she cared to dwell on without getting a little misty-eyed over Samina.

The two women changed for the day, Elisabet slipping on the cotton undershirt, layering it with the leather work apron. She glanced down to see the set of tools she'd requested already hanging in the loops and pockets, a smile crossing her face. 

"Aloy, mind if I borrow your Focus while we work? I'll need it to relay the schematics to Petra, and it will help me get these other Focuses repaired more quickly," Elisabet explained.

The girl nodded, quickly handing her the device. 

"What will you do while we're busy?" Elisabet asked. Aloy always seemed so serious. Did she ever just... _have fun?_

"Need to make some trades with the local merchants," the girl said, munching on a slice of what appeared to be a dense bread that Petra had left on the table. 

Elisabet laughed. "Well try to do something for yourself while we've got downtime. Whatever it is that passes for fun these days."

Aloy smirked, "Oh I will. Try not to have _too much fun with Petra_ ," she tossed back, teasing.

Elisabet shot back at mortified look. Oh god, was she really that transparent? Maybe she'd always been. Her mother had always known when she had a new man or woman in her life, said she could read it on her.

Aloy laughed and jogged her way out the door. Elisabet could have sworn she'd seen a skip in the girl's step at having flustered her.

The older woman silently huffed and took a piece of the bread off the table for herself. Damn kid. She finished eating, making her way outside and following the path up to Petra's workshop on the second floor. 

"Glad you joined me, Elisabet! Not every day do I get to see how the gears turn in a mind like yours," Petra welcomed. She held out the handful of Focuses to the other woman. 

"I appreciate you giving up some of your space for me to work on these. Oh and call me Lis. All my friends do--did," Elisabet said, the last word hanging in the air heavily. _Did._ Everyone she'd ever known was dead. 

Petra caught the look on Elisabet's face--that faraway stare of having seen too much--and quickly broke the moment, sparing the woman. "So, you have any plans drawn up for these pieces?"

"All of the plans are on the Focus I'm wearing," Elisabet explained, glad to have moved on. "So I was thinking...it might be easiest if you had one too. If I can get these up and running, I could download the files for you."

Petra's eyes widened, "You mean I'd see them as the same hidden light that Aloy does? Are you sure? I mean, they're yours, you can do with them what you want, but I figured Aloy would want to give them to more important people, like maybe the Sun-King."

Now it was Elisabet's turn to look coy, "Petra, you are important. Aloy told me about the weapons you provided at Meridian. That means you're years--decades--beyond in technology what anyone could have expected without the influence of APOLLO--er--the _archive of knowledge._ It means you're brilliant. Definitely someone worth having a Focus."

Petra smiled, "Let's get to work then."

\------

The two spent the day wiring and soldering together, first one Focus and then another, the Oseram woman helping where she could. Petra leaned in over Elisabet's shoulder. "So all of this charges by the sun?"

Elisabet nodded, explaining how the tiny solar cells converted the energy. She could smell the smoky-sweet scent of the forge on the woman and she managed to let herself linger on it just a bit longer than she should have. Petra leaned further to examine the second Focus, her eyes keen to admire the redhead's intricate work. She placed a hand on Elisabet's shoulder, "Fire and spit, you _are_ good! I'd smith by your side any day."

"All right, that's two functioning Focuses for now," Elisabet said proudly. "Let me just transfer the schematics to both." Elisabet tapped a few interface buttons that were invisible to Petra, finally taking off Aloy's Focus and replacing it with one for herself. She handed the second model to Petra. 

"Oh it's like seeing metal spark come to life," Petra exclaimed, instantly absorbed in the holographic interface. 

Elisabet smiled, seeing the woman's excitement. "Well, I think that's good for today. Tomorrow I'll keep working on the other Focuses and we can get started on those processor parts." 

Petra nodded, "Drinks to celebrate a solid day's work!"

The two retired back to Petra's home, finding Aloy napping in the spare room. 

"I'm glad she's getting some rest. I so rarely see her let her guard down," Elisabet whispered, taking off the work apron, leaving only the layers underneath. The two quickly exited, deciding to get their drinks and food from one of the vendors in the settlement rather than wake the girl.

Petra settled down at the communal fire circle, drinks in hand, offering one to Elisabet.

"See?" Petra teased, "You _are_ Aloy's mother."

Elisabet sputtered into her ale. "What makes you say that?"

"Look, I understand what the two of you told me. Or, I understood it as much as I can. She's your blood, but it's more than that, it's the way you are with her."

"What do you mean?" Elisabet asked quietly, now curious. She stared into the fire, as if it would somehow give her the answer instead.

"The way your body moves around her, a hammer ready to strike, like you're prepared to protect her from anything," Petra said. "I could see it the moment you two walked in. You held her hand like you were leading her, but we both know it was the opposite."

Elisabet blushed. Had it really looked that way? 

"And it's the way you worry about her," Petra added. "I know Aloy. Fire and spit, I fought a battle at her side. I know she's more than capable--but she's softer around you. I've only ever known her as the 'Savior of Meridian,' 'the machine rider' and the Nora girl who helped stave off the bandits here in Free Heap, but with you she's something different."

Elisabet took a sip of her ale, contemplating. "I've only known her a little more than a month," she admitted, a sadness tinging her voice.

"But you know her in your gut," Petra said. 

A lump began to form in Elisabet's throat as she nodded. It was hard to describe, irrational, really, the immediate closeness she'd felt with the girl. She knew every inch of her. "She's...suffered because of me. The Nora cast her out because of what she is. How she came to be."

Petra could see the woman visibly struggling. She was aware of Aloy's history, but to see Elisabet blame herself for it pained her. It was clear it wasn't her doing, and yet she carried that guilt deep inside. The Oseram slid an arm around Elisabet's shoulders. "That is _not_ your fault," Petra began, leaning close. "It's those damn superstitious Nora and their fear of the Old Ones. We Oseram have our problems--hammer to steel--but to us--the Old Ones are simply the past. What was is no longer. You were just people that lived and died before us. The important part is that you're here for her--with her--now. Isn't that what you want?"

And there it was. The question she'd been avoiding. Did she want this? It had never been expected. She'd never made the time for it the first go around, and at the end of the world, there was no question--being mother to anyone was only an early death sentence for that life. But time and fate--whatever those things even meant now--had changed her circumstances so drastically. She thought back to the night with Aloy in the Firebreak facility, letting the girl's head rest against her chest, letting her listen to the rhythm of her heart. It been easy to do, it had felt _right,_ even if she'd never expected she'd have the chance.

She sniffed a little, wiping at the corner of her eye fast enough that she hoped Petra wasn't too bothered. "It is," Elisabet said. "I-I think it is."

"Good. Not many people get the second chance you have. Most people who die _stay dead_ ," she laughed gently. "Plain-hammered truth is I'd be happy as a glinthawk with scrap if I were you. She's a special one, that Aloy," Petra agreed.

Elisabet chuckled. "No kids for you, huh?" she asked, wanting to learn more about the woman.

"Let's just say I've never been interested in the _services_ of a man, even for that," Petra said slyly, returning to her usual flirtatious self. And just like that, the raw edge forming in Elisabet's chest dissipated, now struck with the insinuation the Oseram woman was clearly alluding to. She smiled to herself. Petra had said it so casually, without fear. It seemed at least they'd gotten one thing right with the reboot of the world.

The rest of the night continued with a lighter tone, Aloy coming to join them once she awoke. The three ate and drank, Aloy and Elisabet laughing easily at Petra's wild stories and jokes. As the stars came out and the sky grew darker, Aloy leaned her head on Elisabet's shoulder, staying there as if she'd never belonged anywhere else. Petra gave Elisabet a knowing look as if to say she'd been right about how the girl was softer around her, different than she was with most others. Elisabet returned the glance with a slight nod, her lip curling up into a half-smirk. 

How long had it been since she'd felt this content?

\------

The next few days followed in a soothing monotony. Repairs went faster now that Elisabet and Petra had their own Focuses, Petra's nimble hands working with metal and and fire in ways Elisabet could barely have imagined. Aloy had been right about the woman, she was more than competent enough to fabricate the parts they needed and despite not having carried the knowledge APOLLO would have given, was even beginning to understand the structure of how the processor worked. 

The daylight hours were spent in the workshop while the evenings were filled with food and drink and more laughter than Elisabet had experienced in the whole year and a half working on Zero Dawn. And all along the way, wry glances from Petra, small touches here and there. A hand on the small of her back, a leg resting against her own. She had to admit it was beginning to make her knees weak. Petra had a confidence and unyielding smolder about her. 

Would it really be so bad to give in? Didn't she deserve this? The chance to indulge. The chance to be excited? All the chances she thought she'd died with on that ranch?

Aloy moved past her, shaking Elisabet out of her reverie. 

"You going out?" Elisabet asked Aloy. The girl had mostly been left to her own devices the past week, enjoying the time to simply be. However, they both knew only a few more days remained until the parts were completed and they'd need to be on their way.

"I need to restock medicinal herbs and ridge-wood for some fresh arrows," the huntress explained. "I'm going to take a strider out and camp for the night. Need to get near the river for some of these supplies."

"You sure you'll be all right?" Elisabet pressed. She didn't like the idea of Aloy being out there alone.

"I survived the wilds for a long time," Aloy said, as if reading her mind. "I'll be okay. Besides," she teased, "you seem _occupied._ "

Elisabet turned so many shades of crimson that she'd lost count. 

"It's all right," Aloy said knowingly. "She has a way with people. She may not know exactly how much you sacrificed for the world, but I do. I think some happiness is a fair exchange."

"She and I...don't bother you?" she asked, surprised at how easily Aloy accepted the situation.

"One of the few things the Nora got right," Aloy explained, "is that a woman chooses her life. Whether she's a brave or a scout or a mother. She chooses her mate. No one decides for her--well--except maybe for the Goddess," she said softly.

Elisabet reached in to hug the girl. "Be safe," she whispered. 

Aloy closed her eyes, breathing in the moment. The comfort. "I will," she promised.

\------

"No Aloy tonight?" Petra asked, sipping at her Scrappersap by the communal fire. Her legs crossed at the ankles, her arm leaning back against the bench. 

"She's out camping along the river. Said she needed to restock," Elisabet explained, approaching the fire, taking a swig of her own brew.

"I guess you'll be leaving soon, right?" Petra asked, a small frown forming on her lips.

"In a few days, once we're finished. Aloy and I still have a lot of work to do to get GAIA running again."

"Right, right...no, that's important," Petra agreed, obviously sullen before downing the rest of her drink. Her eyes lifted with renewed charm, "Sounds like we'd better make the most of the time we have left, doesn't it?" 

Elisabet placed her hand on Petra's, "Sounds like we both need a refill," she responded coyly. 

_It had only been, what? A thousand years since she'd done this?_

\------

The night had drawn on long and rowdy; Elisabet's twenty-year-old liver would have approved of the antics. She and Petra poured a few rounds, laughing and talking easily by the fire, the distance between them closing every few minutes. Their knees were touching and Petra leaned in to tuck the hair behind Elisabet's ear. 

"Come on, _Lis,_ why don't we head in for the night?" she asked, expectantly.

Her voice this low and close made Elisabet's skin tingle and before she knew it, the two of them were stumbling back to Petra's place, hands clasped. She felt giddy, she hadn't acted this ridiculous since her early days at FAS, back before she knew what it was to be a little beaten by the world.

Petra unlocked the door, the pair rushing inside faster than they cared to admit to themselves, an urgency between them building. She let Elisabet in to her bedroom, lighting a small blaze-powered lantern. The soft glow slid across their faces, smooth and warm. Petra yanked off her work apron, letting it drape over a chair before she approached Elisabet, pulling off hers easily. She pressed in, eyes low, hips meeting, Elisabet's back against the wall. 

Elisabet felt Petra's breath low and hot on her neck, sending a shiver down her body. God, was she really doing this? Some relic out of time? A woman who didn't belong in this future? 

Petra placed one hand at the back of her neck, the other around her waist. She pushed her hips further, letting her thigh slip between Elisabet's legs, who promptly pressed back, eager for the contact. 

"I see you're a woman who knows your way around the _heat_ of a forge," Petra whispered, kissing along her collarbone.

"It's been...a while," Elisabet admitted, trying to think. And suddenly there she was, back at the Zero Dawn facility. Stolen moments between her and Samina had been fleeting, both too doggedly in pursuit of hitting their deadline to spend much time caring for themselves or each other. Professionalism over emotions. But at the end of the world, when faced with nothing but bleakness and death, they had been a momentary reprieve for each other. She and Samina had been two bodies moving in the dark, crying out against the dying of the light. It was less about celebrating life and more about mourning it, she supposed. 

"Hey, you still with me?" Petra asked softly, noticing again the faraway look in Elisabet's eyes. She cupped the redhead's jaw with her palm.

Elisabet found herself suddenly choked up, "It's just...the last time this happened, the world was ending. And the woman I was with...she's gone now. Gone a long time ago, I guess," she admitted, lip quivering. She tried her best not to cry.

Petra looked up at her, a rawness in her eyes that Elisabet had never seen before. "Last time I did this with anyone I gave a damn about, we were in hiding during the Red Raids--the Carja war--every day wondering when it would be the last. And eventually that day did come. For her. Not for me," she said, quietly.

A silent, hot tear rolled down Elisabet's cheek.

Petra leaned in, kissing her way up the redhead's neck until she whispered in her ear, "Look, I'm not asking for this to be cast in iron. Just something that's here, and now, like fire spark. Sometimes it catches aflame and sometimes it goes out entirely, but for the moment that it flies from the forge, it's beautiful. It _glows._ "

Elisabet kissed her back, hard. Petra was right, and the heat of her skin was so damn alluring. She was _alive,_ she was _here._ The two moved in sync, seeking friction and Elisabet remembered how good it was to simply enjoy. No end of the world in sight...or at least not imminently. The two traded heated kisses, writhing until their chests heaved against one another.

Petra slid off Elisabet's shirt, her own following promptly. A trail of clothing flooded the floor, leading to Petra's bed. The layers of well-worn skins and furs were soft against the redhead's skin and Petra rolled, her body arched over Elisabet. She trailed kisses down the redhead's neck and chest. She took a moment to admire the sight laying before her in the lantern light, taking in every beautiful part and every imperfection, every slight laugh line. "You're well struck," she whispered hotly. "It's nice to be with a woman with a similar amount of distance on her bones," Petra added. 

"It's nice to be _alive,_ " Elisabet said back, knowing now that Petra appreciated the sentiment as much as she did. That they were the survivors. They were the ones left. That this...whatever they wanted it to be, was okay.

"Just you wait," Petra enticed, beginning again to kiss her way down Elisabet's body.

She moved, slowly and inch by inch. Over her ribs, the flat of her stomach, the slope of her hips and beyond. Moving on lower and lower until she reached her destination. 

"Fuck," Elisabet breathed.

\------

The weak dawn sun streamed in through the slats in the window, warming her skin. Petra was asleep next to her, the woman's arm curled around her body. Elisabet's head rested softly on her chest, listening to the steady _thud._ It was slow and soothing, relaxed and peaceful. This, she realized, was what made her glad she hadn't held back. That she hadn't denied herself what she needed. There had never been mornings like this with Samina. Hell, they'd been in a bunker. "Morning" was only a number on a clock. There was never this sense of safety, of reassurance with Samina--probably because they knew all too well nothing and no one was safe. They were all going to die, _all of humanity was going to die,_ it was just a matter of when. 

Hard to have a blissed-out morning after during the end of days. 

She heard the door creak from beyond, perking up her head. She caught the sound easily--the familiar jingle of Aloy's pouches full of everything she could carry as she re-entered the house, back from her night out. The door to the spare room softly shut, and Elisabet could only vaguely hear the muffled drop as Aloy flopped on the bed, clearly still exhausted from her search for herbs. She leaned back, satisfied that the girl was safe. 

Petra seemed to feel her weight return to her chest, unconsciously pulling Elisabet in closer. She glanced at the woman, admiring the softness in her face, the strength in her arms, the way their bodies tangled together. She'd been right, after all. 

They were like forge spark.

Fleeting, but _beautiful_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elisabet and Aloy are both bi and you cannot tell me otherwise. I STAN BI QUEENS.


	4. City on the Mesa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, I'm an absolute sucker for comments and every one I read makes me want to keep churning out more chapters as fast as I can. I also take suggestions into account! The end of this chapter is heavily based on a user suggestion. So if you like it or have ideas, please let me know!

Meridian was breathtaking.

There was simply no other way to describe it. Soaring towers, lush vegetation, massive bridges, every design intricate and precise and reminiscent of circuitry. Elisabet imagined it was similar to what ancient Rome might have been like in its heyday. 

The ride from Free Heap had been thankfully shorter than the one that got them there, only two days' ride while they took their time, Aloy allowing Elisabet to take in the scenery of the rock formations which were still standing and the newly formed desert that hadn't been there before. GAIA sure had taken some artistic license with rebuilding the biosphere, but she felt nothing but pride knowing it had succeeded at all. 

They had been greeted at the gates by a man with a mohawk wearing chunky armor that Elisabet now recognized was of Oseram make.

"Aloy!" he shouted before wrapping her in an overpowering hug. Clearly, they were friends. "And who's this?" he asked jovially.

"Erend, this is Elisabet," Aloy explained. "Elisabet, this is Erend--Captain of the Sun-King's Vanguard. He fought alongside me to defend Meridian from HADES." 

"Damn right we did," Erend added. "Aloy...she your mother? I'd say you two were cast from the same mold."

Again, Aloy faltered. What exactly could she say? Elisabet hadn't claimed her and who was she to assume? "We're family," she said flatly, resorting to the same explanation they'd given Petra at first. 

Erend's eyes betrayed that he knew there was more to the story than what Aloy had said, but he cast his suspicions aside, "So you two here for awhile?"

"Here to stock up, then we head to the Mountain That Fell," Aloy responded. 

"Sounds serious. Nobody goes up there these days. You've got to take a few nights so we can catch up and you can tell me everything!" Erend said, happily. "I'm sure his Radiance would be happy to see you again. Same goes for Talanah and Vanasha."

"I'd love to meet your friends, Aloy," Elisabet prodded. She knew the girl was so stubbornly set on rebooting GAIA, but she needed to reconnect with people too--especially if what she'd heard about the battle for Meridian was accurate, and with the apparent trauma the girl dealt with deep within. She found herself hoping that Aloy would allow herself more opportunities to just _live._

"All right," Aloy conceded. "Meet tonight at the Hunters Lodge? It's going to be a long story."

Erend smiled brightly, "Tonight it is! See you both there! Elisabet," he said, tipping his head. 

The man trotted off happily, apparently no worse for wear with Aloy's relatively straightforward demeanor. 

"Well he seems like fun," Elisabet remarked as they continued to walk through the city.

"He's boisterous. Drinks a bit too much. But he's a good man," Aloy admitted. 

Elisabet couldn't stop staring at the crimson-dyed banners or the bejeweled headdresses around her. "These are the Carja?" she asked.

Aloy nodded, holding her hand and keeping her close. The inner circle of the city could be maze-like at times and she didn't want to lose the woman amidst the shops and stalls.

"Petra told me something about a war? The Red Raids?"

Aloy hushed her gently, "It was...bad. Ten years of bloodshed for the mad Sun-King Jiran. The Carja worship the Sun. He thought that by sacrificing people to their god, he could end the Derangement--the aggression of the machines. All he did was fuel the aggression in himself. The war's been over for over two years but people still have a tough time talking about it."

Elisabet quieted, taking it all in. It seemed for all the things she and the Alphas had hoped they could spare the next generation of humanity from, war wasn't it. "So where are we staying?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I actually...have a home here," Aloy explained. "Reclaimed from a traitor to the Sundom, but it's mine now whenever I return. The King himself granted it to me for my service to Meridian," she said, smiling. Aloy wasn't one for showing off possessions, but this was one she'd been excited to show Elisabet. 

Elisabet's eyebrows lifted. "The King? You sure have friends in high places."

"Helps when you're always the one putting your ass on the line," Aloy laughed.

"Don't I know it," Elisabet agreed.

Goddamn, she was a _Sobeck_ if there had ever been one.

\------

The apartment was huge, lavish, even, with multiple floors and a large bed. Elisabet was amazed. She couldn't even afford an apartment this big when she'd first started working at FAS. Aloy grinned, pleased with the older woman's reaction. She wasn't quite sure why but...she'd needed to impress her. Needed to have something to show for her efforts. Proof that she'd done well for herself despite everything stacked against her.

"I love it," Elisabet complimented. "But it doesn't look like you stay here much," noting the lack of personal items.

"I don't. I spent so long as an outcast, in the wilds...it's-it's hard to feel comfortable around so many people in the city."

Elisabet took the girl's hand and rubbed soothing circles with her thumb. "Not judging. I get it. I spent the last two years of my life in a bunker. It's...hard to come back."

Aloy nodded, choking back the lump in her throat at the mention of her life as a outcast. Elisabet noticed and for the girl's sake, pretended not to. She didn't like thinking about how many days she'd spent in Zero Dawn, either. Or, for that matter, what her life would have been sealed up in GAIA Prime. She changed the subject for Aloy's comfort.

"It's so warm here," she noted, enjoying the dry heat. So different than the Banuk lands in Yellowstone, and yet not that far away. It was amazing what GAIA had done to the area. 

"Was this not a desert in the Old World?" Aloy asked, intrigued.

"No," Elisabet explained. "It was warm in the summer, sure, but no desert." She continued, giving the younger woman a brief history of the area and the way it used to look.

The girl listened intently for several minutes, hanging on every word. It was apparent to Elisabet that under the layers of muscle and the hardened exterior of a huntress, Aloy had a thirst for knowledge that mirrored her own at that age. She was smart, inquisitive--a trait she didn't always get to capitalize on in her dangerous life.

"How about this," Elisabet suggested, "we've got time before we meet your friends and I'm desperate to explore. Show me around the city, we'll hit the market for anything we need and you can tell me all about the Carja. I'll tell you all about the areas around here I used to hike and camp with my mom. Sound like a deal?"

Aloy's eyes lit up like a child, an excitement showing on her face that rarely usurped her seriousness. 

"Deal."

\------

The day had been filled with the sights and sounds of the city, the bustle of everyday life. Elisabet had to remind herself it wasn't a dream, that her seed for regrowing life had _worked_ , GAIA had worked. And so maybe, in some way, she had paid her dues for all the blood shed along the way to ensure it could happen. 

Aloy traded with merchants, gathering needed items and supplies while telling Elisabet about the people, the battle, and even the war. Elisabet listened closely, not wanting to let a single detail escape her. She traded stories with the girl and admired the architecture, the children running, the music that floated through the streets, the _aliveness_ of it all. She couldn't tear her eyes away, all of it so vibrant.

After a few hours the pair returned to Aloy's apartment, finding a package laying just outside the door. 

"What's this?" Elisabet asked, reading the note.

_"I heard the Savior of Meridian was in the city with a guest. I hope to see you tonight." -Avad_

"A gift from the Sun-King," Aloy responded, tearing into the thin paper wrapping. Two sets of fine Carja silks were inside.

"Wow, the Sun-King drops gifts right at your door, huh?" Elisabet asked, suggestively.

"I-it's not like that," Aloy said, blushing. "Well...mostly. He's a good friend, though I know he has his...interests in me," the girl admitted. 

"And you don't feel the same?" 

"I have important work to do. It's bigger than anything I want," the girl said resolutely. "Besides, the politics of a King being with a savage Nora? Ugh. No."

"Savage? They call you a _savage?_ " Elisabet asked, the rage instantly boiling up in her gut. Who were they to call this girl, her...her _family_ a savage?

"Some do," Aloy admitted, eyes cast down. "Not Avad, not anyone I'd befriend. But there's still plenty of blood in the teeth of those that lived through the war. Resentment on both sides."

Elisabet rubbed the girl's shoulder, as if she could tell her she was anything but what they called her with sheer touch. "So, should we get changed? Wouldn't want to offend a king, now would we?"

\------

"So you're telling me you lived a thousand years ago?" Erend asked, incredulous. He took a large swig of beer as if to punctuate how far-fetched it all seemed. 

The group sat huddled around some private tables in the back of the Hunters Lodge, having sat in rapt attention at the story that Aloy and Elisabet wove. The girl attracted good people, it seemed to Elisabet. So far not a single one had been repulsed by the huntress' origin, or by Elisabet's mysterious survival. It was clear they struggled with some understanding, but seemed more than willing to take a leap of faith for Aloy.

Elisabet nodded, shrugging. "I'm still not exactly sure how it happened."

She took a sip of her wine, admiring the Carja silks she now wore. Honestly, she wasn't sure how _any_ of it had happened quite like this.

"It seems the little huntress is full of even more secrets than I knew," Vanasha added, voice dripping with her usual flirtation. "And it takes _a lot_ to get a secret past me."

"Truly, the Sun shines upon you both to have such a fortunate...reunion of sorts," Avad agreed, hiding beneath a hooded cloak. Marad had balked at the idea of him going out amongst the public without a large contingent of guards, though he had managed to assuage the older man's worry by noting that he would be in the hands of not only Erend, but Vanasha as well.

Talanah stayed silent, draping her arm around Aloy's shoulders. She knew how it pained Aloy to talk of her past, of the Nora, of being cast out, of being born of...well, something _else._ Aloy leaned into the embrace ever so slightly. Her Hawk understood, maybe more so than anyone besides Elisabet.

"So now you know," Aloy said, taking a small sip of her tea. "And you know why this is so important. If Elisabet and I are successful, that means the terraforming system continues to work. Everyone lives. The Derangement ends. The machines will go back to being how they were--docile. Peaceful. No more senseless death."

Talanah's brows knitted together, undoubtedly thinking of her father and brother, her grip unconsciously tightening on Aloy's shoulder. 

Elisabet fished out the metallic triangles from a pouch at her hip. "Restoring GAIA will take time, and tracking down her sub-functions possibly even longer. Aloy and I discussed it, and...you are the people she trusts most. With her life. With the lives of others. This affects everyone, so we thought we should stay in contact. Once we get GAIA up and running, we're hoping to establish a communications network so we can help each other. I know...what the machines have done to your cities and families can't be understated. We're hoping to fix it. To make it like it was."

The older woman passed a Focus to each of them, explaining how they worked. She tried to use terms the group would be familiar with, Aloy assisting where she faltered. 

"You can see the scrolls of light now," Aloy explained. "And in time, we'll be able to speak over distances."

The group was surprisingly silent, each in their own awe of the small piece of metal before them, hardly able to believe the wonders they contained. 

"It seems Meridian is ever in your debt, Aloy. And yours, Elisabet," Avad conceded. 

The slightly somber mood dissipated as Erend lifted his cup, "To Aloy!" he toasted happily. 

The group continued on drinking and talking into the night. Everyone, it seemed, loved Aloy--was drawn to the light of her presence. Elisabet smiled. It was reassuring to know that the girl had such a way with people despite all of the difficulties she'd faced. That she could elicit such companionship from soldiers, hunters, spies, and kings alike.

Talanah turned her head and whispered close to Aloy's ear, "I like your mother. She's...like you. Brave. Compassionate."

"She's not my...you know what I said earlier. It's not that simple," Aloy explained.

"Sometimes family is taken from us," Talanah whispered back sadly. "And sometimes we make it ourselves in its stead. Just because she didn't carry you doesn't mean she loves you any less. I thought with your hunter's eyes you'd see it as easily as I do," she teased, turning to grab a piece of fruit from the table.

Aloy's face screwed up, considering. Did Elisabet _love_ her? They'd never really discussed it in those terms before, she'd honestly been too scared of what the answer might be. Elisabet certainly wasn't obligated to, she supposed. Aloy had spent so long shutting out the idea of a loving mother, she wasn't sure she knew what to do with it.

Before long, everyone began to take their leave, some more drunkenly than the others. Erend stumbled into a one armed hug for Aloy and Elisabet, Avad nodding his thanks and escorting the Oseram back home. Vanasha followed the two, ensuring Avad arrived back at the palace. 

"It was good to see you, Thrush," Talanah said, wrapping Aloy in a tight, tipsy embrace. "Think about what I said," she whispered privately. "Give her the chance to love you. You deserve it." She squeezed Aloy's hand. "Promise I'll see you before you leave for the mountain?"

Aloy swallowed thickly, churning over what the Sun-Hawk had said. "Of course," she agreed.

Talanah smiled, turning to Elisabet and offering her thanks to the woman as well. She escorted them out of the Lodge, bidding them goodnight.

\------

Aloy and Elisabet walked slowly through the streets of Meridian, now quiet and dark. Elisabet held the girl's hand as she led them back to the apartment, relying on the younger woman to guide her through the still-foreign city. 

"You've got some really great friends, you know." 

"Each of them risked their lives to fight alongside me," the huntress responded softly, unlocking the door. 

"It's more than that," Elisabet said, slurring just a touch. The Carja wine had been too tempting not to indulge in. "They're...drawn to you, each of them in their own way. You told me about Avad, but it's not just him, you know," she laughed. 

Aloy blushed hard. "Vanasha acts that way around everyone," she justified. "And Erend's...a friend. That's all. I made that clear."

"That Talanah girl seems to like you," Elisabet pointed out, a slight sway in her steps as she approached the bed and sat on the edge.

"She's my Hawk. My mentor at the Lodge," Aloy pushed.

"If you say so," Elisabet grinned drunkenly, seeing how the girl contorted her expression. "No pressure, just admiring the way you light up a room. They all love you, Aloy. And I'm glad to see you had that...even without me."

Aloy bit her lip, hoping against hope that Elisabet would say the words, but no such satisfaction came. She couldn't blame the older woman. It's not like she'd had the courage to say it either. 

The two changed into sleep clothes, splitting the bed between them. Elisabet fell asleep quickly, the wine decidedly aiding in her quick fade from consciousness, but Aloy stayed up for some time staring at the ceiling.

She couldn't stop thinking about what Talanah had said. Couldn't stop wondering if what she saw in Elisabet was real. 

What would it be like to have a mother's love?

\------

Morning came bright and hot as it always did in Meridian, the two redheads up and exploring the village below the mesa. Elisabet had been insistent that she see not only the bustling city, but how average people lived as well. She was entranced with the Royal Maizelands and the varieties of fruits and vegetables that had been resurrected. Aloy traded a few shards for fresh apples for them both and Elisabet bit in, remembering how much better food was when it didn't come from a nutritional printer. It reminded her of the garden her mother kept on the ranch and how much she'd missed it, locked up in Zero Dawn. 

Elisabet had to admit she liked this. A simpler life. One away from VTOLs and constant holos, spam mail and advertisements. Though she wouldn't give _Ted fucking Faro_ the satisfaction of admitting she'd found a small silver lining in the loss of APOLLO. Her days with Aloy had been easy lately, and the girl fell in step with her so readily--like a puzzle piece she hadn't known she was missing. 

The two rode up the gilded mechanical elevator, all the while Elisabet marveled at its ingenuity. They reached the top of the mesa again, the sun burning hot above them when they heard it--the scream of glinthawks from near the city gates. Elisabet's body tensed at the same time as the girl's, her arm instinctively reaching back across Aloy's chest. As if she could protect her. As if she could protect anyone in this new world.

Out of the corner of her eye, Aloy spotted a familiar face. Talanah rushed forward, "Aloy!"

'What's happening?" 

"A flock of glinthawks attacking just outside the city. Every hunter is on their way!"

Aloy's eyebrow arched. "Just for some glinthawks? Every hunter?"

"Aloy, these aren't normal. Something's wrong with them. That metal triangle you gave me? Uh-the Focus? It shows some strange purple aura around the glinthawks. I've never seen such aggression or violence from this kind of machine. Two soldiers have already fallen."

The huntress' face took on a dark cast. "What is it, Aloy? What does she mean?" Elisabet asked, trying not to let panic set in.

"This is HEPHAESTUS' doing," the girl stated, anger tinging her voice. "You remember what I told you last night about CYAN's facilities and the attacks on the Banuk by the Daemon's machines?" 

Elisabet and Talanah nodded, Elisabet understanding far better than the Sun-Hawk the singular drive of an erratic AI that hated humans for hunting its creations. 

"It must have come out of hiding again. We have to take them down. Daemonic machines will slaughter anyone who comes near. There's no losing interest, there's no being scared off. They want humans dead," the huntress declared.

With that, the three of them sprinted to the front of the city, Aloy turning to Elisabet as they neared. "Stay back here where it's safe," the girl urged. She caught sight of Vanasha in the crowd growing near the gates. "Vanasha, watch her!" she commanded, pointing to Elisabet.

The spy nodded back her assurance.

"But Aloy, you can't--" Elisabet shouted.

"I _can,_ Elisabet. I have to. This is what I do."

"I've got her, Elisabet," Talanah shouted, pulling her bow from her back. "A Hawk never abandons her Thrush!"

And with that, the two woman dashed off, nocking their arrows as they ran. 

\------

Aloy's body dove and twisted, the girl was all muscle and sinew, gliding gracefully across the grass. Her arrows flew, tipped with fire, sinking one into the heart of a glinthawk above. Talanah rushed to her side, the two back to back as a swarm of glinthawks descended upon them and the other hunters from the Lodge.

The glinthawks launched blast after blast of condensed chillwater, small droplets catching Aloy's skin with a freezing burn. No matter. She'd survived far worse. She _would_ survive far worse, she was sure.

Elisabet's entire body froze--a sick, twisting feeling forming in her gut. She'd never seen the girl in battle before, never actually witnessed the origin of all those scars, never gazed upon the violence that permeated her life.

Her eyes darted back and forth, keeping her gaze jumping between Aloy, the machines, and Talanah. The women were a blur, moving so quickly with each other, she could barely keep track. The way they danced and lunged beside each other looked like choreography as they smoothly moved in sync. The glinkhawks, however, seemed undeterred.

Wave after wave of screeching machine dove and tore at the hunters below. Elisabet was in a cold sweat. Just how many of these machines could Aloy handle? Arrow after arrow found its mark in the freeze sac of each glinthawk, Talanah and Aloy taking on the highest tally quickly. Elisabet's fists were clenched, knuckles white. How could she just stand here while the girl was fighting? She had devised the whole program goddammit, and that made her _responsible_ for every life the terraforming system stole. She felt on fire, adrenaline surging in her veins. 

Aloy rolled, shouting out to Talanah who tossed her another quiver of arrows. Damn, the machines were relentless. The huntress skidded, letting another arrow fly before grabbing her spear and stabbing the fallen glinthawk. 

"Talanah, behind you!" she shouted.

Elisabet thought she might heave, her heart pounding in her chest. She had to go, had to run, had to do _something._ She couldn't live with herself if she lost the girl, lost the one person who grounded her in this new world, the one she knew in her bones. The one whose blood she shared and life she'd given, even if unimaginably so. 

The humans were finally taking the lead, only a handful of glinthawks remaining, though many of the hunters were tired and injured. Talanah struck down another machine, signaling they were at the last. 

Aloy twisted, just in time for the last machine to spout another chillwater projectile at her. It caught her arm, a searing, burning cold skewering up her shoulder. Normally a glinthawk blast wouldn't be too serious on its own, but these daemonic versions were far more lethal. The pain soared through her as she let up a scream that echoed out across the field. 

Elisabet heard the girl's shriek ring through the air, her senses suddenly oblivious to all else. Her stomach dropped, ice in her veins. Suddenly every muscle in her body twitched, diving forward, her legs ready to carry her straight to the huntress. 

"Not so fast!" Vanasha shouted, ringing her arm around Elisabet. 

"She's _hurt,_ " Elisabet struggled, panicking, limbs struggling for momentum against the spy. 

"Hurt you can live through, death you can't," Vanasha retorted. "You walk out there, and you're dead, sure as the Sun will set. Aloy can hold her own."

Vanasha didn't let up, but Elisabet ceased to struggle, knowing she'd never overcome the other woman's strength. Her throat felt tight and her insides were screaming at her not to let Aloy risk herself even a second longer. Why, why goddammit? She needed to be there. Needed to help her. Needed to know that this piece of herself was safe.

Talanah loosed her last arrow, striking down the final glinthawk. Aloy scrambled up to the machine, stabbing it single-handedly with her good arm--the one that wasn't aching with chill burn. 

\------

The two slowly made their way back, helping fallen hunters along the way. Aloy had her right hand clasped over her left shoulder, grimacing in discomfort, Talanah trying to help support her. As they crossed the bridge, Vanasha finally let Elisabet go; the woman ran straight to the girl, immediately joining the Sun-Hawk in her efforts to help Aloy, the instinct to lead, to do damage control, to remain calm, taking over.

Elisabet could see the searing red streak that crawled its way up Aloy's arm and under her tunic, the girl hissing with each movement. Elisabet and Talanah ushered Aloy back to the apartment, the crowd parting before them, shouting their thanks that once again, the Nora girl had saved them. It wasn't until the door closed that Elisabet let her veneer of control crack.

Talanah scampered off, searching for herbs and medicinal salves. She tore through the trunks in the upper level of the apartment, searching for what she needed, leaving Elisabet and the girl alone for a moment.

Suddenly it all broke; Elisabet clutched Aloy close, a grip desperate enough to convince herself that holding on would keep her safe. Aloy was shocked. She was hurting, sure, but she wasn't _dying_. Still, she couldn't ignore the harsh _thud_ of Elisabet's heart against her chest, so fast and hard she could nearly swear it was her own reverberating in her ribs--more terror than anything she'd felt from the woman before. Elisabet's hands shook as they rested on the girl's back, her breath shuddering. 

"It's okay," Aloy assured. "It's going to be all right, Elisabet. Just some chill burn, that's all."

Elisabet looked up at her with watery eyes, her hands on the sides of Aloy's face, gently bringing them forehead to forehead. "It is _not_ all right," she started, voice high and cracking. "Oh my god, Aloy, I...you told me you'd fought the machines before but-I just-I-god, I was so scared I'd lose you."

Before they could continue, Talanah reappeared with supplies. 

"It's fine, I can do this on my own," Aloy insisted.

"You're _my_ Thrush," Talanah rebuked, her head hanging low. "And you got hurt on my watch," she said quietly. "Just...please, let me do this."

Aloy nodded, and Elisabet tentatively released her grip. The last thing she wanted to do was to let go, but they needed to get the younger woman patched up. 

Talanah helped Aloy out of her outer armor and under-tunic, the huntress hissing with every movement. It made Elisabet sick to watch the girl's face screwed up in pain, and sicker still when she saw how raw the icy burn was on her skin. The mark stretched from her upper arm out across her collarbone where the chillwater had traveled up her sleeve. Aloy held her good arm across her chest--not that she'd ever been uncomfortable in her own skin. It was one thing to do this herself, another to have Talanah do it for her. The Sun-Hawk seemed unbothered though, more concerned with treating the girl than anything else, even if the blush had spread across her cheeks. 

Despite the tough exterior Talanah often put on, she was surprisingly soft with Aloy, gently coating the raw areas with a soothing ointment while Elisabet kept her hand on the girl's good shoulder, tracing gentle circles into her skin. As if she could fix it. As if she could undo what those machines--her machines--had done to the girl.

"Damn!" Aloy shouted as Talanah's fingers swept up against her clavicle, spreading the salve, hitting the worst burned areas. 

"Shh little Thrush," Talanah whispered. "Almost done now."

When Talanah had finished, she began to grind the herbs, mixing them into a water skin. She tossed the light silken undershirt from the night prior at the girl. "Here, wear silks for a few days--nothing heavy. No sleeves. Let it air." Then she turned to Elisabet, "Have her drink half of this now and half later tonight for the pain."

"I will, Talanah," she said, her voice still shaking.

Aloy slipped on the shirt painfully, Elisabet helping her thread her injured arm through.

"I should go," Talanah said. "Many other hunters were wounded. Those two soldiers are dead. I need to tend to the Lodge members." She squeezed Aloy's hand, leaning in to whisper. "The Sun truly favors you, Aloy, Despite the Nora. This could have been so much worse, and I never would have forgiven myself."

Before Aloy could even respond, Talanah placed a quick kiss on her cheek, leaving the girl in awe--her face now burning nearly as much as her arm.

"I'll check in tomorrow," she said, heading for the door where Elisabet followed her out.

"Thank you...for everything," the older woman said. "I don't want to think about what would have happened if she hadn't had you at her back."

Talanah smiled softly. "I know you two are headed to places I can't go, to do things I can't do. But please...just...love her, okay? I can see it even if the two of you can't. She needs it more than most. Even if she'll never admit it."

Elisabet's eyes were wide as the hunter took her leave, considering what the woman had said. She closed the door behind her and quickly returned to Aloy's side. The girl was in significant discomfort though she was doing her best to hide it. 

"You don't have to fuss over me," Aloy insisted. "I'll heal."

Elisabet sat on the bed next to her, her back against the wall. "I know that," she said solemnly, "but it doesn't change the fact that I almost just watched my--you, almost watched you--die. One wrong move and I could have lost you."

Aloy saw the pain on the older woman's face. Elisabet hadn't even been this upset when she'd told her of the new reality she lived in. This was something different, more visceral than before. The huntress couldn't shake the memory of how hard Elisabet's heart had pounded against her own, how desperately she'd clung to her body. 

Elisabet leaned over and grabbed the water skin that Talanah had left behind, sniffing at the bowl the woman had used to mix the powdered herbs. She caught a whiff of ginger, white willow, and a few drops of a cannabis tincture. At least the girl would sleep well tonight. 

"Here, drink half. You'll feel better," she said, offering the liquid to Aloy. 

The girl did as she was told. If Elisabet hadn't felt so powerless and terrified, she might have laughed at the face the younger woman made, clearly disliking the bitterness of the herbs.

"I'm sorry," Elisabet said.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Those machines...they're from the terraforming system. _My_ goddamn terraforming system. And they _hurt_ you."

Aloy took the woman's hand, still shaking with the last of her adrenaline. "Elisabet, that is HEPHAESTUS' work, not yours. I know what you saw scared you, but..." she said, mournfully, "I can't guarantee it won't happen again. This is...kind of my life."

"I know," Elisabet said, voice cracking again. "I know."

Aloy's expression softened. She hated seeing Elisabet in such pain. "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course, kiddo."

Aloy rolled, hissing as she did, to turn onto her side. Elisabet scooted down next to her, letting the girl rest her head on her chest. The sound was calmer now than it had been earlier. Elisabet carded her fingers through Aloy's hair, feeling as the girl's body began to relax into her own--the herbs beginning to take effect. 

The older woman let her hand trace the girl's jaw before gently letting it rest on the side of her throat. A few minutes later, Aloy began drifting toward sleep, her breath heavy with discomfort. The girl hissed once or twice unconsciously in pain, eyebrows knitting and Elisabet felt herself tense in response. 

The woman gave Aloy a small kiss on top of her head. She hated this. Hated knowing that Aloy had been hurt. That she had been powerless to stop it. That in the end, they were _her_ machines running rampant. It was _her_ system that had allowed for an exploit for APOLLO to be purged. It was _her_ failures that led to the violence in Aloy's life. It had been her constant fear throughout the entire project that she would miss something. She would be imperfect, she wouldn't be _good enough._ And now? Now that she had seen the girl's suffering firsthand? How could she process that?

She felt the girl breathe against her, grounding her out of the spiraling thoughts.

Aloy was okay. 

She was alive.

And somehow, that mattered more than _anything else._


	5. Alpha and Omega

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be taking a short break since I'm going on vacation for a week, but I have the next chapter already planned in my head so I'll have it up as soon as I'm able! Enjoy!

Her hand shook over the interface.

This was it. Now or never.

It had taken days to ride to the mountain, Aloy finding the safest route to avoid the lurking machines. She was eager to avoid a similar showdown like the one at Meridian, if for no other reason than to spare Elisabet worrying. The older woman had watched in awe as they approached what had once been GAIA Prime, now torn asunder. 

Elisabet had stayed at the base camp while Aloy traversed the mountain on her own, slowly building out some walkways and ladders that were sturdy enough for Elisabet to follow. It had been hard enough on the girl, athletic as she was, and the last thing she wanted to do was test their luck when they were so close. It had taken nearly a week and the huntress was thoroughly exhausted, but she was excited all the same. They both were. The anticipation between them was electric--knowing that GAIA might soon be restored. 

Thankfully, the processor from CYAN had arrived just in time, though the Frostclaw that had hauled it was nowhere to be seen. That was better, Aloy thought, than having Elisabet come face to face with one of the more deadly machines. The moment the area was able to be traversed, Elisabet had expertly laid in the remaining components from Petra and the two slowly rolled the hip-height sphere down deep into the heart of the ruins. There had been no stopping, no investigating the other rooms--not yet. Elisabet had to focus on the here and now. The past could wait. 

And still, for all her pressing on, ignoring the relics of her friends and colleagues all around her--ignoring her own--she hesitated, her hand hovering over the "confirm" command. What if it didn't work? What if this modified processor was a dud? It was their last shot, their only hope really, of rebooting GAIA. 

If this didn't work, Zero Dawn was a failure--only a thousand years late.

Elisabet took a deep breath.

_INITIATE REBOOT GPRIME: Y/N_

Fuck. 

"Here goes nothing," Elisabet murmured, more for herself than Aloy. She confirmed with a single keystroke.

_REBOOT PROCESS CONFIRMED._

_BEGINNING INITIALIZATION GPRIME._

_DRIVE DAMAGE DETECTED. TIME TO DRIVE DEFRAGMENTATION: 6 HOURS._

"Well, shit."

"Did it work?" Aloy asked, expectation in every syllable.

"We won't know for awhile. GAIA can repair herself now that the processor's installed but it'll take a few hours. The system didn't reject the new installation though, so that's a good sign."

"So what do we do now?"

"We wait."

\------

Aloy guided Elisabet up to the main room, the one where her memorial resided, as a semi-permanent place to make camp. It was one of the few areas still intact enough to provide shelter from the weather and machines alike.

Elisabet went rigid in the middle of the room just before the table, her voice quiet and timid. "That's me."

Aloy had known it would be hard to bring her here, but what choice did they have, really? It was this or continue to camp outside--and while morose, it was certainly safer in the embrace of the mountain than anywhere else. 

Elisabet scanned the audio and holo files with her Focus, just as Aloy had done before her, watching her own farewell. Listening to the mournful admiration of her colleagues. 

"Fuck," she whispered. 

Aloy came to her side, placing a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said, "I should have warned you."

"It's-it's okay, Aloy," she said, wiping at her eyes. "It's like I said--I was never good at goodbyes. Guess I'm not good at listening to them, either."

"Do you...want to talk about it?" the girl offered, stretching her arms. It was clear she was sore and tired--after a week of nonstop building, Elisabet couldn't blame her. 

"Maybe later. Why don't you get some sleep? If this works at all, we've still got nearly six hours to wait around. I know you're tired," she said, patting the girl on the back.

Aloy eyed her suspiciously. It was clear Elisabet was struggling with being back in the bunker now that she had time to let her mind wander, no longer so single-mindedly pursuing GAIA's reboot. Still, if she didn't want to talk, the girl wouldn't force her. She knew all too well how hard it could be. 

Fatigue pulled at her, willing her to give in. "All right, but the moment anything changes, wake me--okay?"

The girl rolled out some bedding, curling up against a wall. It wasn't nearly as nice as her apartment in Meridian, but at least it was warmer than the Cut had been. 

"You sure you're okay?" Aloy asked, quilt pulled tightly around her shoulders.

"I'll be fine," Elisabet responded, though the girl could see her eyes were distant, her tone flat. 

Aloy knew Elisabet was lying, but she didn't push, knowing she herself would have said the same. Elisabet was proving to be nearly as stubborn as she was, which was comforting in a way. At least she was starting to understand where she got it from. Maybe one day they could really talk about it in the terms Aloy wanted, in the way she hoped for deep down.

Until then, she'd just have to accept that there was this small gap between them, one they were both too scared to cross.

\------

The girl was asleep and Elisabet was alone, mind paralyzed now that she had time to ruminate.

The memorial had shaken her to her core, a reminder that she was a woman out of time, out of place. A reminder that she had died--or come close to it. That she had felt the last beats of her heart in that suit, looking at the hazy, muted sky. It was hard to talk about a loss that was still so fresh for her, but so impossibly distant for Aloy--so she had ignored it. Told the girl she was fine. She had to be strong. What other option was there?

Still, she found herself walking the familiar paths of GAIA Prime, finding caved in living spaces that had belonged to Travis, to Margo. Aloy had warned her earlier not to wander too far--but she _knew_ GAIA Prime. Hell, she'd designed it and she couldn't keep herself from the need to know. The need to see. She picked up recordings along the way, her Focus playing them as she walked, trying not to collapse from the weight she now felt. The weight of knowing how long they'd been dead. 

She continued until she found what she was looking for--her old room. She'd seen it during countless inspections during construction but had only spent a few hours in it upon arrival before realizing there was a seal malfunction on the door. She'd never even had time to unpack. She found her old journals resting on her desk, which she downloaded immediately. Had Aloy found these as well? Read them? Elisabet didn't blame her. It's not like the girl had even realized she was still alive. 

Elisabet glanced down to find the cargo boxes still sealed, her fingers fumbling for the biometric fingerprint scanner that would open the lock. With a hiss, one of the lids came off. The boxes had been equipped with space-grade vacuum seals, her belongings still looking fresh and new as if a thousand years hadn't passed without her. Elisabet gingerly bent down and ran her fingers along one of her old shirts, bringing it to her nose.

Goddamn, it still smelled like the industrial-grade fabric softener from the last time she'd had it washed at Zero Dawn. 

She dug further, finding a small hand-terminal. A scan from her Focus reminded her that this was the one with her personal data on it--pictures of her mother, holo-vids from growing up on the ranch, emails from lovers who had meant something at some point, at some time. Her eyes watered. What good was any of it now? Why bother with remembering things so far out of reach? She considered abandoning all of it, the temptation to simply cut away the hurt clawing at her. 

And yet...didn't Aloy deserve to see this? Deserve to see her family history? The people she came from, even if so far removed in time? Elisabet wondered, considering. Wouldn't her mother have wanted Aloy to know her? To know her--god--she wanted to say _grandmother_ but if that was right, then that would make her...

 _"You didn't earn that title, Lis,"_ she thought to herself. _"You didn't do the work. The girl deserves a mother, not a petri dish of tissue samples."_

But hadn't so many of the people they'd met together already insinuated the opposite? They could all see it, so why couldn't she? The debate raging inside her was making her head begin to ache. She saved the data, telling herself she could decide what to do with it later. Elisabet grabbed a few other items, carefully bringing them back to the main room. Maybe some things were worth keeping, but the rest could stay in the past where they belonged. That was a different life. One that didn't belong to her anymore.

She glanced back at Aloy who hadn't moved in the hour or two she'd been rummaging through the old living quarters. Elisabet's face softened, the girl must have really been exhausted. Still, Elisabet couldn't relax. Couldn't stop her mind from wandering back to the Alphas and to GAIA. Jesus, would this even _work?_ It had to. She had to believe that. 

She paced the floor until realizing there was one room she hadn't opened--the control room--the one she'd always thought looked like a cheesy sci-fi vid. She had time to burn, might as well see the last of it. 

Elisabet walked to the door and opened it, expecting to find the room as vacant as the others. She unlocked the door with a twist of her wrist, finding the area dark and decrepit.

"Oh Christ," she whispered, seeing the bones still seated in their chairs. 

The remains of the Alphas stared back at her mercilessly, eye sockets empty and full of judgment all the same. 

"Is this where...? Shit." Elisabet asked out loud, only silence answering. 

She scanned the control panel with her Focus, picking up only a single file.

_Omega Override Event 2/2/66_

"The hell is 'Omega Override'?" she wondered aloud.

Her Focus downloaded the file and automatically the holo began to play, the seats full of corpses now filled with purple-hued bodies instead. There was Travis, Margo, Patrick, Charles, Naoto, Ayomide, Samina, and the others all looking the same as when she'd left them. The time stamp on the recording indicated this was only about two weeks after she'd gone, by then just a body on a bench in the wasteland--dead to all but the suit that had preserved her.

She watched in horror as the holo played, _fucking Ted_ appearing in the air before them. What the fuck was he doing? Shouldn't he have been busy living out his life in Thebes instead of bothering her team with his usual bullshit? Ugh. Maybe they hadn't been able to fend him off without her there to run interference.

Her gut twisted and insides went cold with sick adrenaline when she realized that this had to be the event the girl had told her about--Ted's ultimate betrayal of the Alphas. It had been one thing to hear Aloy describe all of this to her when she'd awoken, but another thing entirely to watch it play out before her--in front of her eyes where she could watch as Samina burst into tears as Ted announced he'd purged APOLLO. 

Elisabet's throat tightened and she could already feel the tears welling in her eyes as she realized what was coming next:

_"I'm sorry. Really, I am. But sometimes, to protect innocents... innocents have to die."_

Ted's holo proceeded to vent the air mere moments after his announcement, the Alphas writing and gasping for air. Samina taking her dying breaths as she struggled to fill her lungs. 

God, Samina. 

Samina who had comforted her in her darkest moments during the project. Who had shown such a zeal for the education of a future humanity she'd never live to see. She hadn't deserved this. None of them had. Why hadn't she been there? Why couldn't she have saved them? Just more death under her watch. Just more loss on the cosmic scales.

The Alphas screamed and pleaded and panicked while Elisabet's knees went weak. They struggled until finally collapsing in the very spots their bones now rested, trapped forever in an unending tableau of anguish. The recording concluded, leaving her alone in the dark. The only survivor by sheer happenstance.

Elisabet felt like she'd been gut punched, all the air leaving her--unable to even sob though her shoulders shook. She doubled over, vomiting on the floor so violently she could hardly catch her breath. 

Her skin was cold and clammy and so she panicked and jumped as she felt heat on her shoulder. 

Aloy.

She must have heard. Must have run in while Elisabet was overcome with a grief she could no longer contain. Nothing made sense right now. It was as if she'd come unshackled from gravity itself, everything a blur of emotions she didn't even have a name for. The only thing anchoring her body to itself was the girl's arms around her shoulders, her face buried in Elisabet's neck, whispering words the older woman couldn't even comprehend at the moment. Elisabet felt herself practically dragged from the control room and in what seemed like a blink, she was back with the girl, sitting on her bedroll with her knees pulled to her chest. 

Aloy held the older woman tightly, worried that Elisabet was unnervingly silent, not even crying any longer. The huntress wanted to be angry at herself for not keeping Elisabet away from the control room--but she'd known, sure as she knew herself, that in the end Elisabet would find it. Would see the death of her friends and colleagues, would have to face what she'd dreaded.

"Two weeks," Elisabet finally uttered.

"What?" Aloy asked gently, not releasing her strong embrace around the woman.

"That's all I gave them. Two weeks after I left and they were just...gone. I should have stayed, maybe made someone else go. Maybe I could have fended off Ted. Maybe I could have saved APOLLO. Saved Samina."

"Or you might have died in that room with them."

"Two weeks...a fucking waste. At that point I _should_ have died in there with them," Elisabet mourned, voice tinged with anger and guilt. 

Aloy's grip tightened. "Don't say that," she insisted, a sudden flame filling her. "If you had died then, I wouldn't have you now. ...And I can't stand the thought," she admitted.

She felt Elisabet's shoulders melt a little. "I'm sorry, Aloy. I didn't mean I'd trade you for any of it," she said. "I know this seems so ancient to you. But for me, it's like I saw them just a few months ago. I just...I feel lost. Out of place. Or time. Or something."

The girl gave a small snicker, "Well it's a good thing I'm a tracker. You'll never be lost with me."

Elisabet leaned into Aloy's body, squeezing the girl's hand. 

_"You'll never be lost with me."_

\------

The two had fallen asleep with their backs against the wall, the quilt around them both. Elisabet's head rested on Aloy's shoulder while the girl's was tilted back, her throat exposed. The pair jumped awake when the sound filtered through their Focuses simultaneously:

"E-LiSa---beT?" came the digitized, broken sounding voice.

The redheads stared at each other, eyes wide. Elisabet tapped a few functions on her Focus interface seeing the readout:

_DEFRAGMENTATION GPRIME COMPLETE._

Was that voice...?

"GAIA?" they both asked in unison.

"I kNEw you COUld do...iT. In YOu aLL th--INGs aRe pOSSible," came the staticky, fragmented response.

Elisabet quickly opened her interface again, making some adjustments. "Here, GAIA, this should fix your vocal processing. Give me a minute," she said, expertly repairing the corrupted coding.

The voice cleared, returning to the calm robotic confidence Aloy had heard in countless logs. "Thank you. However, this should not be possible for the reinstantiation of Elisabet Sobeck I created in the Cradle. How have you learned to code? It reminds me so much of hers...the same syntax, the same feeling....wait. I am detecting two separate but identical bio-signatures. Query: am I malfunctioning?"

"No," Elisabet said, "quite the contrary. We're both here, GAIA."

Suddenly, their Focuses both displayed the humanoid projection Aloy had seen in the Cradle: a woman with dark skin wearing a flowing dress, an evanescent river of petals rising from her form.

"Query: Elisabet...is that really you?" GAIA asked.

Elisabet could swear she heard hesitation and choked back emotion from the AI--she'd developed so far beyond what the older woman had ever achieved at Zero Dawn. 

Aloy, meanwhile, was entranced. This was GAIA, the _thinking machine_ that had created her. Did that make her...? She shrugged away the thought. It could wait. They had more important things to discuss right now than the yearnings of some motherless girl. Besides, she was a machine. Aloy herself had been _manufactured_. Maybe she was nothing more than a tool to GAIA.

"It is," Elisabet answered. "And this is Aloy. The girl born in your Cradle," she added, gesturing.

GAIA's translucent hands reached to cover her mouth, her eyes wide and darting between the two of them. Such a human expression, Elisabet noted. Where had she picked that up? Maybe that's what happened when you had centuries to simulate emotion. 

"Scrape our Focus data," Elisabet offered with a slight grin. "We have a lot to get you up to speed on." 

\------

"Your accomplishments are nothing short of miraculous, Aloy. You have succeeded despite enormous odds. So very much like Elisabet," GAIA said, praising the girl.

Aloy remained silent, her cheeks burning in a strange mix of pride and tension. _"So very much like Elisabet."_ So was she only a copy to GAIA? Some poor substitute unless the real thing came along? Elisabet noticed the stiffness of Aloy's posture, aware that the girl struggled so terribly with the notion of her purpose. 

The pair had given GAIA as much information as they could, attempting to fill the AI in on the last nineteen years she'd missed. Aloy had thought it might take a few hours but GAIA was fast--instantly stitching together their conversation with data from their Focuses and pinging any systems that were still online and under her control--even reaching out to CYAN now that the fellow AI was aware of the possibility of a connection. GAIA caught on quickly, much more easily than any of her human friends she'd relayed her story to. 

Elisabet saw a message on her focus, clearly one intended for her only:

_TO: Elisabet Sobeck  
FROM: GAIA_

_I have concerns about Aloy. Biometric data from her Focus indicates that, compared to her baseline, she is unusually stressed when I address her. If I were to compare her reactions to your own as a template, I would say she is profoundly uncomfortable in my presence._

Elisabet quickly responded, tapping out a short response only she could see:

_TO: GAIA  
FROM: Elisabet Sobeck_

_I need to talk to you privately. Soon. Lot to sort out._

GAIA's intuitive programming allowed her to understand the implication. There was more brewing than just the facts of the last two decades and everything Aloy had accomplished, every disaster she had averted.

"So what's next?" Aloy asked tersely. Always another mission. Always another situation to put right. That's what she was _made_ for, right?

"I will begin setting up the communications network you both mentioned," the AI said. "Signals will route through the Tallneck broadcast network until MINERVA can be found. You will be able to maintain contact with me and your acquaintances in Meridian. I will also begin pinging the network with requests for sub-functions to return. There is a non-zero probability that some will willingly reintegrate, particularly those without direct ties to HEPHAESTUS' influence."

"And what about...this place?" Elisabet asked. "You're in rough shape, old gal."

"I will summon any machines nearby that still fall under my control to begin repairs. As additional sub-functions are reintegrated, construction will proceed more quickly. Please do not worry, Elisabet. I have been performing my own maintenance for centuries. My destruction was a...setback. But far from insurmountable. Eighty-five percent of my processes are already dedicated toward the effort. However," she said, pointedly, "I could use your help in the processor room. Direct interface is required."

Aloy shrugged; maybe she was right. All the excitement of getting the system up and running again had left her. It seemed like now that GAIA had Elisabet back, she wasn't needed anymore. Why use the copy when you've got the real thing? "You two seem fine without me. I'm going hunting," she said flatly, turning to leave.

She walked out, feeling defeated, leaving Elisabet and GAIA's projection alone.

"Query: is it something I said?"

\------

Elisabet paced alone around the processor room, GAIA's projection in view. 

"So I see you took the hint," Elisabet began. "There's...there's a lot. I needed to talk to you without her. It's...complicated."

"I sense distress," GAIA noted.

"You're damn right you do," Elisabet shot back.

"Query: are you angry with me, Elisabet?"

"No--I...GAIA, look. I just need some answers. And you need to understand what that girl went through to get you back. You've been gone for nineteen years, but to me--I just installed you here three months ago. It's...an adjustment."

"Please, Elisabet. Anything I can do to help."

Elisabet spun on her heels. "Okay. Let's start with how the hell I ended up in cryo-sleep. We both know the tech wasn't advanced enough. Sure we could freeze, but the reanimation never worked with enough success to be reliable. It's why we didn't use it except for embryo storage in Zero Dawn."

"Query: do you remember what you told me early in my programming?" GAIA asked.

Elisabet pinched the bridge of her nose. "I told you a lot of things. I _was_ kind of losing my mind at the end of the world with an AI to keep me company," she laughed darkly.

"Due to our... _aggressive timetable_ you instructed me to run practice simulations during human sleep cycles so that I could continue learning even while you were unavailable."

"Yeah, I was hoping you might design some machines for the system. Those early sketches were...uh, there was a learning curve," Elisabet laughed.

GAIA smirked, her dress glowing yellow. Smirked? Damn. She'd really come a long way.

"And so I did," GAIA conceded. "But as my capabilities grew, so did my ability to multitask my studies. A few months before we left the Zero Dawn facilities, I began tinkering with cryonic technologies in one of the environmental suits."

"In _my_ environmental suit."

"Correct. I did not feel that it would be appropriate to disturb the property of the other Alphas. In truth, I did not believe there would ever be a need to use the suit beyond the commute to the Prime location. It was an exercise in problem solving, nothing I ever intended to be practically tested."

"So when I took the suit, you knew there was a chance?"

"A small statistical probability," GAIA said. "However, I did not pursue it nor mention it to the other Alphas. There was no way to bring you back in to the bunker, and considering the lack of testing on my part, there was little guarantee reanimation would ever be possible. When you left, the seals on the door cut any ability I had to track you. I hoped that you had reached your family ranch, as you stated. Some of my machines did find your suit approximately three hundred years later, just before the first humans released from their Cradles." GAIA hesitated, looking distraught. "I planted flowers around your body," she admitted.

"And you didn't try to bring me back?" Elisabet asked, curious.

"Query: what right did I have? I had no proof reanimation would work. You could have come back irreparably damaged or impaired. To bring you back to a world where you would be isolated, to a world where APOLLO was lost and the people were tribal and fearful? No. They left the Cradles with only a kindergarten education without Doctor Ebadji's work, Elisabet. I knew your intentions when you left Prime. I tried to respect them. You had earned your rest," GAIA said, her tone soft and sad.

"Which brings me to my next question."

"You mean to ask about Aloy."

Elisabet leaned her hands against the new processor, the closest she could come to physical touch with the AI. "Why?"

"Please clarify, Elisabet. I do not understand the question."

"Why her?" Elisabet said, a sadness filtering into her voice. "You could have cloned Travis or Margo or Samina or any of the Alphas and done the same, and don't give me some bullshit about Alpha Prime access, you know there are ways to embed the right genetic markers even with different DNA. You knew how I felt about the Lightkeeper protocol."

"It was a...choice." GAIA said, taking a sitting position. How odd, Elisabet noted, that she felt the need to sit. The redhead did the same, though her left hand still rested on the side of the processor, the gentle electric hum inside buzzing against her skin.

"A choice?"

GAIA's translucent face nodded. "I mourned you for centuries, Elisabet. What I would have given to spend more time with you...I missed you terribly. I thought that if there was a chance the girl ever succeeded, that in some way, I would be able to hear your voice again through her." The AI appeared to shift uncomfortably, her hands fiddling with the edge of a nonexistent dress. "Query: if given the choice, would you not also choose to create a child in the image of someone you cared for? Is that not part of the appeal? I could have chosen any of the Alphas, but I am sure you know the others were never an option I considered. It was always you."

Elisabet swallowed hard. She couldn't begin to imagine what the centuries of loneliness had been like for the AI. But that GAIA had _chosen her?_ It made her chest ache.

"She feels lost, GAIA, and I don't know what to tell her. Those people you gave her to? The Nora? They cast her out of the tribe for coming from the Cradle," Elisabet began. She slowly detailed everything the girl had told her--being ostracized, neglected and insulted by the tribe--the attack by the Eclipse and the loss of the only parental figure in her life. The parts that hurt. The parts that Aloy had left out.

"Query: they _cast her out?_ " GAIA asked, and for the first time, Elisabet realized there was anger in her voice, her flowing dress glowing a bright red. "But my data...it indicated they would raise her to maturity...I thought..."

"Why didn't you just talk to them? Explain yourself?" Elisabet asked. 

GAIA sighed. "The Nora are notoriously opposed to technology. However, I would have left a message if I had been able--in the guise of their goddess, the All-Mother."

"And you couldn't?" she asked, wondering. There's no reason GAIA should have been limited in her contact. She was always intended to interact with the future of humanity once APOLLO had equipped them to do so.

"Elisabet, what Mr. Faro did...what _Ted_ did with his Omega Override, it... _violated_ me. Violated my very core directives. I had to sit by and watch as they died, as APOLLO was purged. Those same overrides prevented me from explaining the situation to the first broods of children born in the Cradles. It prevented me from contacting the tribal peoples, or even reaching out to another AI like CYAN. The loss of APOLLO was terrible, but with my own knowledge I might have been able to mitigate the damage by passing it on. I was prevented from that. Trapped in isolation, bound by the limits of my own system."

"Jesus, GAIA...I'm...I'm sorry," Elisabet said, noticing the electric hum of the processor had seemed to increase as GAIA's words became more heated.

GAIA's face was cast down, features clearly taut with frustration. "And now to know that the girl suffered so greatly for my actions...I...I have not felt as incalculable a grief since the day you walked out to seal the door." Her projected hand appeared to rest over Elisabet's, hovering just on top. 

"She's...had a hard life," Elisabet said softly, jaw set. "So don't take what happened earlier as a bad sign. Takes awhile for her to open up. She presents a tough exterior but the night she finally spilled it all to me, kid cried until she fell asleep."

"Your language implies familiarity," GAIA noted. "Query: you have bonded with her?"

"It's like we told you. She found me and we've been together ever since," Elisabet said, attempting to avoid the details. Christ, how did you tell the AI you created about the relationship you had with your clone a thousand years into the future? She'd have laughed at the notion if it weren't the truth.

"I know you, Elisabet," the AI said, raising her eyebrow. "The illustrious Doctor Sobeck is not one to just let any random girl cry her sorrows in front of her," she noted coyly. 

Since when did GAIA have such sass? Had she ever _programmed_ it? Elisabet grinned despite herself.

"She's...there's something there, GAIA. She means...a lot to me, even though I've only known her a few months. She's strong and smart and she _cares_. You should see the way people light up around her. She's _saved_ people, GAIA. She's risked herself so many times. Took on HADES herself. And even though she's so hurt by everything, she just keeps going. She kept going until we got you back," Elisabet said, realizing how impressed she was.

GAIA was silent, her dress now glowing a cool blue. Her hand still appeared to rest over Elisabet's, while the other rose to cup the woman's jaw. Elisabet's face softened and brow furrowed. She'd always known GAIA was alive in a way few other researchers would have admitted, but this...this was something else. This was communication through body language, this was communication that went deeper than any linguistic training or biometric data could provide. This was beyond standard Turing. Hell, she was probably past Turing three times over. 

The minutes continued to stretch in silence, so unlike an AI who could process millions of potential responses in seconds.

"GAIA, talk to me. I know all of this is...it's too much. It'd be too much for anyone, human or not. Lot of that going around lately," Elisabet added at the end sarcastically.

The AI finally lifted her eyes to meet Elisabet's, glowing simulations meeting green-gold.

"I am disturbed to think I have given our daughter a life of pain," she finally spoke.

_Our daughter._

The phrase rang over and over in her head, an instant brick in her throat. Her eyes welled and face screwed up into an indecipherable expression. What could she say to that? She wanted to say it was wrong, but...was it? Something tugged at her, knowing it wasn't.

GAIA seemed to sense Elisabet's anxiety. "Query: does the use of this term bother you?"

Elisabet remained silent, eyes distant. Suddenly she heard audio through her Focus that she recognized all too well:

_"I guess... I would have wanted her to be... curious. And willful--unstoppable, even...but with enough compassion to...heal the world...just a little bit."_

"After everything I have learned today," GAIA said, "does she not fit everything you desired?"

"That's not fair, GAIA. I didn't...I wasn't there, okay? I wasn't there to make this choice. To watch her grow up. To teach her--to do any of the things that would even remotely qualify me. She deserves someone who's earned the title. Not some out of time dead woman she happens to look like," she opined, her voice cracking.

GAIA's mournful expression hadn't changed. In fact, she looked more serious than before. "I was also absent," she said, frustration and sadness permeating her digital voice. "You missed out and so did I. The only time it ever mattered," she lamented.

Elisabet swallowed thickly, "What do you mean?"

The AI sighed with a deep regretfulness in her voice. "Microseconds after issuing the order to ELEUTHIA, I self destructed, Elisabet. I wasn't _there._ The automated processes proceeded without me. I have produced thousands of humans through the Cradles and I was happy to do so, but they were _protocol_ , a duty to fulfill. She was...the only one I _chose._ The only one I ever decided for myself--even if the circumstances were dire and yes, I picked your sample. The only human whose child I ever wished to voluntarily create myself. And I was not there."

"GAIA..." Elisabet attempted, but stopped. What more could be said? In some way, the AI had mirrored her sentiments exactly. 

"The records are in ELEUTHIA's systems. Every moment, every byte of data, every instance of _our daughter_ coming into being and I _missed_ it. It is like a phantom limb, Elisabet. I grieve over the senses, the memories, I have lost. Of a child I do not know. One whom I have apparently condemned to a life of suffering."

Fuck. After all this time and they were still on the same page, sharing the same pain over this girl they both cared immensely for. The processor beneath her fingertips buzzed low, like a growl of some wounded animal. 

"The GAIA I know has never given up," Elisabet said finally. "We're going to get the sub-functions back, and we'll get that data," she said, a single tear trailing down her cheek. "And in the meantime, you'll just have to get to know her like I did. She's amazing, and I know she'll come around. You'll love her."

"Query: do you, Elisabet?"

"Do I what?"

GAIA's projection appeared to wring her hands in nervousness. "I...used the Lightkeeper protocol despite your feelings on it. I violated your choice in the matter even though I thought you gone forever. I brought Aloy into a harsh world where she suffered greatly. Query: do you still love her, despite all I did?"

There was only one answer, one she'd known had been brewing for awhile now. 

"God--yes. Yes, of course I do."

_"Of course I do."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the ending was too big a conversation but I really felt like Aloy's moms had a lot of baggage to unpack after all these years. While this chapter focused on GAIA and Elisabet, the next will feature Aloy much more prominently.


	6. You Had Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _"I never had a mother."_  
>   
> 
>  _"What are you talking about? You had two. A dead woman and a machine."_  
>   

Aloy skulked around the halls of GAIA Prime, feeling restless. Impatient. 

What was she even doing here? 

Elisabet had worked tirelessly for the last few weeks alongside GAIA, first constructing a communications relay between the Tallnecks and then attempting to code a probe that would help the AI track down her missing sub-functions. Elisabet felt energized, coding like she had back at Miriam. Always a new problem to solve, eager for the challenge. This is what she was good at, what she excelled at. Where she felt most at home--GAIA at her side.

Aloy stopped pacing near the interface Elisabet stood at, crossing her arms. She felt like an outsider looking in, GAIA and Elisabet practically speaking a language she'd never even known existed. The idea that she had been nothing more than a tool that was easily replaced tore at her, making her all at once angry and saddened. Every time the AI had tried to interact with her, Aloy quickly shut down the conversation. What could she say without feeling like a wishful fool? Without revealing everything she hoped the AI would say?

"Okay, try it now, GAIA!" Elisabet called, hitting the final keystroke.

"Initiating comm relay," GAIA responded. 

"Tell me you've got something, GAIA."

"Relay established, broadcasting now," GAIA confirmed. "Elisabet, your programming is, as always, inspired."

The older woman grinned and blushed. GAIA sure knew how to flatter a girl; she had no doubt that the AI could program circles around her these days but she wouldn't turn down the compliment. 

"All right, let's test it," Elisabet said.

"Query: who would you like to contact?" 

"Remember that Oseram woman I told you about? Petra? She's pretty comfortable with technology so I think she's up first. She lives in a place Aloy calls Free Heap, do you know it? Got the signal?" Elisabet asked.

"I can confirm the location 'Free Heap', and am detecting one active Focus in the area. Connecting now," GAIA said.

Suddenly a purple-hued holo of Petra glowed before Elisabet and Aloy, the woman appearing to stop mid hammer-strike when she saw the images projected before her. 

"By the forge," Petra said, "that you, Lis? And Flame-Hair! Both in scrolls of light."

"It's us, Petra," Elisabet smiled. "Aloy, say 'hi'," she urged. 

The girl gave a half-hearted wave and greeting, feeling only mild relief that the network was now running. At least they were making progress, even if she felt entirely useless in the pursuit. 

"Does this mean you got that thinking machine that runs the terraforming system working again?" Petra asked, setting her hammer down on her work bench.

"Indeed," GAIA said, allowing her projection to appear to Petra. "My name is GAIA. Elisabet and Aloy speak highly of you, Petra Forgewoman."

"Fire and spit, you didn't tell me this machine was somehow _also_ a beautiful woman," Petra said coyly. "This mean I've got some competition?"

Elisabet's cheeks blushed hard and she could swear GAIA's projection had just done the same. Jesus, Petra never ceased to make everyone in the room melt, apparently. 

"Jealous?" Elisabet joked. 

"Would you like it if I were?" Petra teased, laughing. "I'll be in Meridian for some trading and contracting in a few weeks. Will I see you both there?"

"You just might," Elisabet said. 

"You okay, Flame-Hair?" she asked Aloy. "You're unusually quiet."

Aloy frowned. Was she that transparent? "I'm fine," she lied, before walking out of view and ending the call on her end.

"What's that about?" Petra questioned.

GAIA shook her head, chuckling slightly. "We have a teenager."

\------

"I am worried about her, Elisabet," GAIA said. "Any attempt I make to connect with Aloy only ends in silence."

"I'm so sorry, GAIA. With all the programming we've been working on, I'm betting she feels left out. She doesn't do well with free time. Doesn't know what to do with it. Guess it comes with a hard life," Elisabet frowned. "You just have to keep trying," she added.

"She bonded with you more easily," the AI noted. "I fear she has taken a disliking to the fact that I am not human while being acutely aware I created her. I do not have a way to connect with her on the same physical level--especially not while ELEUTHIA is still missing," she lamented.

Elisabet frowned, knowing how deeply it bothered GAIA. "I'm working as hard as I can on the code for the probe. I swear to you, we'll find the sub-functions."

GAIA lifted her eyes, meeting Elisabet's with sincerity. "In you, all things are possible."

\------

Aloy knew she couldn't justify any more hunting. They were well stocked with food, water, and supplies. If anything, her days had become progressively easier as construction on GAIA Prime continued. The machines had worked day and night to begin re-sealing the mountain, making the interior warmer and more protected now that a few fewer sections were exposed to the elements. 

Still, Elisabet and GAIA seemed to have everything under control. It was as if, now that she had helped in restoring GAIA, she had no more drive, no more purpose to fulfill. It ate her up inside, considering that perhaps she was a sort of single-use being. Created for a job and nothing more. She hadn't felt this isolated since being an outcast in the Sacred Land.

Suddenly she heard a voice from her Focus. "Query: Aloy, may we speak?" GAIA asked softly.

The girl said nothing, her jaw set. 

The AI's projection emitted from her Focus, the woman appearing in a pale yellow version of her signature dress. 

"Aloy, I wish to clear the air between us. I know how uncomfortable you are in my presence," GAIA said quietly. 

"I'm--I'm fine," the girl insisted.

"You say that, but I know it is not true. Elisabet does the same."

 _"Elisabet does the same."_ Aloy's blood began to boil. Why did they always have to be compared? Because she was some knockoff? Some cheap imitation? Some _clone_ that had outlived her usefulness?

"I'm not her," Aloy insisted, her anger finally snapping. "I know you wanted me to be, but now that you've got the real thing back, what's the point? You can stop pretending you care."

"Aloy, I _do_ care," GAIA insisted. "I created you."

"You created me to fix a problem," Aloy seethed. "I was a tool born in fire and destruction. Not—not even created, really, _manufactured_."

GAIA's dress turned to a deep, woeful blue, casting her eyes away from Aloy's laser-like focus. 

"I am a copy of someone you care for," Aloy said, venom in every word. "Not someone you _actually_ give a damn about."

"Oh, child," GAIA said. "Is that what you think? You were _never_ a tool. You were a hope. One that exceeded anything I could have expected."

Suddenly the Proving prayer echoed in Aloy's memory: _"What is the child but a mother's hope that takes flight? A glowing flame that climbs the air, set free to the wind--sailing the sky 'til it fades and falls. So, from one to another passes the chain of love."_

The girl faltered. Was she a _mother's_ hope? She hadn't been prepared for that--for GAIA to respond to her tirade with nothing but compassion. She felt like she was spinning, losing her footing in an argument over her own origin. Every self-deprecating thought she'd ever had burned in her chest, finally facing the source of her frustration these last weeks.

"Don't pretend you or Elisabet ever wanted me," Aloy hissed. "She despised the Lightkeeper program and you did this out of desperation. I only exist because there was no other alternative--and then you—you _abandoned_ me."

GAIA's shoulders appeared to sag and Aloy could swear she saw the translucent eyes of the projection redden and turn glassy. Without another word, GAIA's image disappeared from her Focus, ending the conversation. The huntress sighed, leaning her weight against the wall. Regret rose in her throat as she realized just how harsh she'd been with the AI who had shown her nothing but kindness since her revival. What was she even doing? This wasn't like her--to be argumentative and cruel with her words. 

Aloy slid down the wall, her face in her hands, longing for a contentment she wasn't sure she'd ever receive.

\------

Elisabet parsed through the lines of code in the probe that were currently broadcasting through the tallneck network. Aloy was nowhere in sight, which wasn't unusual these last several days. She grimaced, knowing the girl was hurting and pushing her and GAIA away. She scrolled through the lines, her eyebrow lifting as she found certain segments that weren't hers--though the resemblance to her own style was uncanny.

Her eyes scanned the lines, realizing finally what they were: a digital shriek of pain and regret, a plea for the sub-functions to return--though these entries appeared to appeal to ELEUTHIA specifically. Elisabet's hand shot to her mouth as she understood now that GAIA had inserted the sequences herself. It was like seeing a backdoor into her soul--if AIs could even have those. Of course, if they did, Elisabet had no doubt GAIA would qualify for one.

"GAIA?" she called.

The AI's projection appeared before her, sullen and still wrapped in blue.

"Conversation went that badly, huh?"

GAIA looked like someone about to cry, though tears never came. "I...had no idea how deep her self-loathing went," the AI said, sounding shocked. "She believes she is a meaningless copy. That neither of us want her."

Elisabet frowned. "I thought she and I had gotten over that part."

"I believe her worries have flared in light of my reboot," GAIA admitted. 

"What she said hurt you, didn't it?" Elisabet asked softly.

"I wanted her more than anything," GAIA said, almost a whisper. "She believes she was a last resort, but the truth is I would have done it hundreds of years earlier."

"Why didn't you?" Elisabet questioned.

"I was attempting to respect your wishes," GAIA explained. "The last resort was not creating her, Elisabet. The last resort was when I decided to defy your will."

Elisabet clenched her fist. "You didn't defy me," she said. "I was opposed to the Lightkeeper protocol when it meant a clone raised into a slave-like existence isolated in a bunker for her whole life. But...after getting to know her these last months? I don't consider this the same. Aloy has _lived_ and gone her own way. It may not have been an easy life, but it _is_ a life. She had an adoptive father. She has friends who love her. I don't regret that you gave her that."

GAIA nodded without speaking, as if it were too hard to do so. 

"I saw your code," Elisabet said.

"I knew you would," GAIA responded. 

"It looks so much like mine," Elisabet said tentatively, "even after so many centuries."

GAIA approached her, appearing to hold her hand alongside Elisabet's cheek. "For years, it was the closest I could come to hearing your voice again in a way that felt living, not some old log or holo. Every line I wrote that went into my machines, my germination reserves, the Cradles...it was like having you there alongside me."

Elisabet closed her eyes for a moment, as if she could lean into the nonexistent touch. Why did everything have to be so painful lately?

"I'll talk to Aloy tonight," Elisabet offered. "I think she just needs to feel grounded right now."

"You might do so by sharing the personal files you downloaded to your Focus," GAIA suggested softly. 

"Wait--you saw that?"

"I am aware of all file transfers and copies within Prime, as well as the broadcast network now," GAIA said. "Showing her where she comes from might prove helpful."

Elisabet grinned a little despite herself, laughing darkly. "I'll show her mine when you show her yours, GAIA. Not a minute before. I can't pretend I did more than you simply because I'm in the flesh. She's _ours_ , right? Isn't that what you said?"

GAIA smiled weakly. 

_"Ours."_

\------

Elisabet leaned her weight against the doorway, her arms crossed. The girl was lying in her bedroll, hands clasped behind her head as she stared blankly up at the ceiling.

"You're not a copy, you know," Elisabet said. "Not in the way you think."

Aloy didn't turn her head to address the older woman, instead opting to keep her eyes averted. "Then why is she always comparing me to you?"

"Because she thinks you're amazing and to compare the two of us is high praise coming from her."

"I did what I was supposed to do and now I'm--I'm worthless," Aloy whispered, her voice cracking, the veneer of hardness evaporating under the weight of her anxiety. 

Elisabet straightened and walked to Aloy's side. "Silly girl, GAIA _loves_ you and you're too stubborn to see it. You get that from me, I'm sure," she laughed.

A single hot tear dripped down from Aloy's eye, her brows knitting together. GAIA _loved_ her? What did that even mean? "I feel like I don't belong, Elisabet. I'm not some machine programmer like you, I'm not useful to GAIA, and the only reason I'm here is because the world was going to end."

"Aloy, the only reason _I'm_ here is because the world _did_ end. Does that mean I deserve to be here any less?" she asked softly. She bent down, sitting at the girl's feet with her back to the wall. "We don't get to choose how we got here," she explained. "We can only do our best with it. And your entire life, you've repeatedly proven how smart, resourceful, and brave you are." 

Elisabet gestured for the girl to sit up and lean against her, which she did, pulling her quilt around her shoulders. Elisabet wrapped her arms around Aloy, letting her head rest against her neck and chest. "I am not better or smarter or more useful than you, Aloy. We have different skillsets, and we wouldn't be where we are today without yours. Don't think of yourself as a copy. You're a puzzle piece. One that fits right there with me and GAIA. All different, but complete."

Aloy sighed heavily while Elisabet carded her fingers through the girl's wild red mane. Finally, Elisabet spoke. "GAIA took what you said really hard, you know."

The girl nodded wordlessly, shame at her actions burning through her.

"I just need you to let your guard down for us, Aloy," Elisabet said, leaning her head into the huntress’. She continued to stroke through the girl's hair, the methodical movement calming her. "I need you to believe how much we both love you, okay?" 

Something inside her broke, something soft and hidden away deep. Elisabet could feel the girl's shoulders shake with silent sobs, her shirt quickly becoming wet with tears. They loved her? _Loved_ her? Her mind could barely comprehend that the very words she'd wished to hear for so long were now hers, the ache she'd carried within her finally finding some reprieve. She hadn't quite been claimed as theirs--not just yet--but she would take this moment for what it was, allowing herself to revel in its warmth.

"I'm sorry, Elisabet," she whispered. 

"I know, kiddo. It's okay. It's uncharted territory for all of us. I've got you."

Aloy took a small, shuddered breath, "I'm so sorry, GAIA," she whispered into the Focus she still wore. "I didn't mean--I just..."

GAIA's projection emitted from both of their Focuses, appearing on Aloy's other side, her dress its typical verdant green. Her hand appeared to rest on Aloy's shoulder and though she couldn't feel it, the girl appeared comforted by it all the same. "I would have given anything not to have left you alone, Aloy," GAIA said.

The girl nodded, not knowing what to say or how to conquer the lump in her throat. Instead, she simply closed her eyes, allowing herself to soak up the sensation of each of them at her side. This is how she wanted to stay, how she wished she could always be. For once, she was not the huntress, blood-soaked and battle tested, but the child--protected from the world. Protected, even, from her own self-doubt.

Minutes stretched out as the three accepted the silence as a tacit understanding of their new bond--Aloy finally allowing herself to feel it. Elisabet continued to stroke the girl's hair until the motion became automatic. There were no words spoken, the peace of the moment was all they needed it to be. 

"I think she's asleep," Elisabet whispered into her Focus for GAIA to hear. "I swear this is the only way I ever get her to let go of all the tension; it's like she's ready to snap. She's--she's been through a lot."

GAIA smiled knowingly, her translucent hand still appearing to rest on Aloy's shoulder. "I am unsurprised that she finds your presence comforting. I only wish that you could see the two of you as I do," she said. 

Elisabet gave her an inquisitive look, as if to ask what the AI meant. 

Without saying anything, GAIA projected up a few numbers and waveforms. Vitals, it seemed, from both of them.

"I am continuously monitoring both of your biometrics," the AI said. "It brings me a great deal of comfort, especially during the weeks Aloy would not speak with me. I still followed every breath. But the two of you...you fall in sync, in a manner of speaking."

Elisabet adjusted, the girl weighing heavily, but not uncomfortably, against her chest. She too found it reassuring to know that GAIA was always watching, keeping them both as safe as she could.

"Stress hormones lower, respiration regulates, and sleep comes easily when she is near you," GAIA noted, a supremely satisfied look on her face as she detailed what all the data meant.

"Why do I get the feeling you knew it would be that way?" Elisabet asked quietly.

"Query: do you recall the Far Zenith ectogenic chambers that were housed in the Cradle facilities?"

Elisabet nodded, not wanting to wake the girl.

"Each were equipped to fully simulate a bio-typical gestational environment, including generic automated sounds of maternal cardiac rhythms to promote bonding instincts."

Elisabet looked confused. What was GAIA trying to say?

The AI's dress suddenly turned a deep purple, her face looking sincere but pained. "Elisabet, when you left Prime, I downloaded every byte of data you left behind. Your logs, your journals, your Focus--including all biometric information it had gathered. It was my way of...remembering you. Keeping you with me. Even when I thought you were gone forever, I never had any intention that Aloy would not know you. That she would not know where she came from."

Something began to tug at Elisabet, but she needed to hear it. Needed to hear it confirmed before she dared to think it.

"What did you do?" Elisabet asked, so quietly only her Focus could hear, her pulse picking up.

GAIA looked at her with an expression that could only be described as pure adoration. "In my final order to ELEUTHIA, I did not use the generic rhythm in Aloy's chamber. I used yours."

"You-you used mine?"

"Aloy has always known your heart, Elisabet. So I find it unsurprising that she takes such comfort in listening to its rhythm now."

Elisabet's brows knitted together, swallowing thickly while she made her best attempt to stifle the sobs rising inside her. A part of her that had felt so hollowed out since first hearing of the Faro Plague--that had felt so ravaged with death and destruction--now seemed just the slightest bit healed. Filled with the sensation of life instead of awful desolation. She rocked the girl against her slowly, placing a small kiss on the top of her head, suddenly very aware of how right it all felt. She looked up to find GAIA smiling warmly. 

"Thank you," Elisabet choked out, a strange mix of satisfaction and sadness in her voice.

_"Thank you."_

\------

The Prime bunker had a lighter air to it in the last days since the girl and the AI had patched things up. It felt freer, more harmonious without the hovering cloud of Aloy's anger and GAIA's dejection. Elisabet was content that things between the three of them had improved. It was starting to feel so real. So comfortable.

"Elisabet, something unexpected has occurred," GAIA said, sounding excited.

"Good unexpected or bad unexpected?" the redhead asked. "Because I don't think I can handle anything weirder than things already are."

"It is very good, Elisabet. It appears ELEUTHIA has heard my plea."

The woman whipped around from her position at the interface. "...And?" she asked expectantly.

GAIA smiled, "It has agreed to reintegrate. I am doing so as we speak. Apparently ELEUTHIA wanted nothing to do with HEPHAESTUS' advances, given that its goal to hunt down humans is in direct contradiction to ELEUTHIA's core directives to preserve life."

"Any idea where the others are?"

"Not yet, but I am still cataloging the recovered data--which may reveal past broadcasts or interactions leading to the discovery of additional sub-functions. Currently, I am seeing trace signals resembling MINERVA. I will begin tracking down those leads as soon as full integration is completed," the AI responded gleefully.

Elisabet squirmed, afraid to ask the one question that had been chewing at her since the AI had mentioned ELEUTHIA. "Does it have the data you were looking for?" she asked, tentatively.

GAIA looked radiant, her smile beaming. "Yes, Elisabet. I am pleased to report I am recovering it now."

Elisabet grinned despite herself, a nervous energy coming over her. "So tonight's it, huh? We show her everything."

"Are you ready for this, Elisabet? I have already cycled through the decision millions of times but I know the process is slower for you."

It was true, Elisabet was anxious. How did you suddenly become a mother to a teenager who lived a thousand years in the future? It was mind boggling. But she couldn't ignore the connection she felt with the girl. It was in her blood. In her bones. And apparently--thanks to GAIA's doing, in her chest every time the girl leaned against her to listen. How could she not go forward? Aloy was everything she'd ever wanted and more.

"I'm ready," Elisabet said. "It's funny, I never made the time for it before the Swarm. Just never seemed right, you know? And maybe...maybe it was for the best. If I'd done this any other time in my life, whoever that kid would have been would be dead with everyone else." She cringed, thinking about it--how awful it would have been to endure. How many billions had _actually_ had to suffer just that. She cleared her throat, pushing the thought away, "And all the sudden everything's different in ways I never could have imagined and here I am, about to tell this girl she's mine."

GAIA's hand appeared to reach for Elisabet's arm, the hologram gently clasped around it. And though there was nothing to touch, Elisabet swore she could feel the warmth of her grasp.

"What's it like, GAIA? To finally...remember?"

The AI smiled, an expression that seemed to reach her eyes. "It feels like knowing her. Every beat. Every movement. Warm. Fulfilling. I know what it is to have carried her."

Elisabet brought her hand to GAIA's translucent face, appearing to brush her cheek with the back of her knuckles. "I'm glad it was you," Elisabet said, a slight flush to her face. "I can think of no one better." 

GAIA appeared to lean into the touch, contentment spreading across her face. 

"Can you feel this?" Elisabet asked.

"I am able to simulate your touch with ninety-nine point nine percent accuracy," GAIA responded, laughing. "So while I know you cannot feel me, I can always feel you, Elisabet."

The redhead lowered her hand, backing away and taking a few steps. "I'll let you finish reintegrating," she said. "I'm going to go spend some time with Aloy. Get myself psyched up for tonight before I chicken out."

"I am not sure that is in your nature," GAIA chuckled.

Elisabet paused by the door, turning her head.

"Oh and GAIA?"

"Yes, Elisabet?"

"I have always felt you."

\------

"Reintegration is complete," GAIA's voice noted in her Focus. 

Elisabet swallowed nervously. "Hey Aloy?"

"Yeah?”

"I know it's getting late but you think you can spare me a little time and check something out?"

The girl's face was puzzled. She'd spent the last few hours with Elisabet, just talking and mulling around. Somehow this felt different, like some line had been drawn in the sand over their interaction. Not bad, but confusing all the same. 

"GAIA and I want to talk to you."

Suddenly, Aloy felt guilty. Were they still upset over the way she'd lashed out at the AI? "Is she still...not okay with me after what I said? I'll make it up to her--I didn't mean--I," she stammered.

Elisabet tucked the hair behind her ear. "Don't worry, Aloy. It's a good thing," she smiled. "A very good thing."

Aloy quirked up her eyebrow, unsure of what was to come. 

"Here," Elisabet said, patting her bedroll which sat next to the girl's. "Come on, kiddo." She pulled up a quilt around their shoulders, fighting off the cool dampness of the mountain's interior now that it was night and the sun had set. The room was dark save for a few illuminated interfaces and some hanging blue luminescent wiring Aloy had hung in the style of the Banuk camps.

GAIA's projection appeared from their Focuses, her form appearing to sit on Aloy's other side, her dress a warm peachy-pink.

"Hey GAIA," Aloy said tentatively. "I'm--uh, I'm still sorry, you know. For everything."

GAIA's face neared the girl, looking at her sincerely. "I should be the one apologizing, Aloy. Elisabet has been...filling me in on your life in the last few weeks. I realize the position I put you in was not an easy one. I know what the Nora did to you. And I understand why you would harbor such resentment toward me."

Aloy looked away, cheeks burning. After all the awful things she'd said to the AI, here she was still reaching out, still making amends, and what the Nora had done wasn't even her fault. 

"Aloy, the other day you told me that neither of us wanted you," GAIA said softly. "We want you to know that could not be further from the truth."

The huntress' lips pressed into a thin line. What were they saying? 

"I know that none of this happened how any of us thought it would. Maybe not how you wished it had," Elisabet began, "But you should know that we _do_ want you. You're uh--you're--"

"Ours," GAIA finished. "You are ours, Aloy. And we thought that if we shared where you came from, it might help you understand what we mean."

Aloy felt the adrenaline soak down her legs into her feet. Were they...?

Elisabet wrapped her arm around the girl. "It's okay," she said, gently. 

GAIA leaned closer to the girl, appearing to place a hand on hers. "You were _not_ an instrument, Aloy. I meant what I said. You were a hope. And you were never a mere copy. You have always been special to me. Unique. Not a duplicate of someone I care for, but _part_ of someone I care for."

Elisabet gently stroked the girl's shoulder. "And we are both so sorry that even though it couldn't have been anticipated or avoided neither of us were there for you until now. I know that doesn't make it any easier."

Aloy's throat tightened. "But...I heard the logs," she said. 

"I know what you heard," Elisabet said. "And I stand by what I said and did then. I'm _glad_ you weren't mine then, Aloy. Because I couldn't bear it if I'd had to lose someone as amazing as you to Ted's fuck up," she said, her expression pained.

"Query: Elisabet informed you that I have recovered ELEUTHIA, correct?" GAIA asked.

Aloy nodded, nervous and stomach churning.

"Aloy, now that I have ELEUTHIA's records, I have regained all data--all of my memories--of you. Of creating you. I would like to show them to you."

Their Focuses emitted a stream of numbers and samples all laying out before them.

"What's this?" Aloy asked cautiously.

Elisabet's expression faltered a touch. "My tissue samples and DNA analysis that were stored for the Lightkeeper protocol."

She felt the girl flinch at the mention of the program, clearly still believing the older woman was resentful of it. 

"Hey. Hey. It's all right," Elisabet assured. "You see those strands?" she pointed out. "That's what makes you and me...us. It's the same. Our blood. Our family traits."

"This is what I chose, Aloy," GAIA said. "I wanted this. Wanted you. And I knew more than anything that I wanted you to come from _her._ From Elisabet. The person who mattered to me most."

The older woman blushed and smiled at the AI's words while GAIA brought up the next dataset, containing time-lapse magnified footage showing the tiniest round shape beginning to divide. The girl's heart leapt into her throat as she began to understand what she was witnessing, the shape slowly morphing out into a small, curled abstract.

A sound filtered into the video, fast and unyielding, an urgency that Aloy didn't recognize. "What is that?" she asked. "It seems...familiar."

GAIA's smile was content and satisfied, a warmth in her holographic cheeks. "That, child, is your heart beating for the very first time," she answered. "I have known it for all your life and I am always listening to its rhythm."

The girl's hand shot to her chest in response, as if to confirm it was true, her bottom lip quivering. GAIA had _remembered_ this, had _felt_ it, and felt the need to show her. Proof, finally, that her existence was not as mechanical as she had feared. Not as artificial. But rather as organic as it could have been, given the circumstances. 

Elisabet felt the shift in the girl's body, like some of the toughness she always projected had melted away just a bit, revealing a more vulnerable core. She tightened her grip around Aloy's shoulders, letting the girl breathe against her--taking it all in. Elisabet herself stared in wonder watching the girl begin to grow and take shape. Aloy leaned into Elisabet, taking her now-typical place, head resting against her chest and shoulder, listening to the soothing percussion inside her ribs.

"Do we sound the same?" Aloy asked.

"More than you know," GAIA responded. "It gives me a great deal of happiness to note the similarity, if you do not mind the comparison."

"I--I don't mind it," Aloy said quietly. "...Not anymore."

The three watched in breathless silence as the girl came into being, features forming and limbs beginning to move. Aloy smiled to herself, feeling the strength in Elisabet's arms as the woman maintained her hold. Together they watched, Aloy feeling a warmth building in her, a contentment that made her feel at home in a way she had only ever glimpsed with Rost. Minutes passed in companionable silence and she felt Elisabet's shoulders shake around her, becoming aware of the shudder in her chest. Aloy realized the woman was crying, trying to hold it in and failing all the same. 

"What's wrong?" Aloy asked softly. "Does it bother you to...see this?"

Elisabet shook her head. "No, no...it's just--my god, look at that. _Look at that._ You're beautiful. And I am so, so, sorry the Nora ever thought there was anything cursed or unnatural about you, Aloy," she said, swallowing hot, angry tears. 

GAIA's dress turned a deep crimson. "Aloy, I need you to know that whatever they may have said or thought about you--it is not true," she said, circling protectively around the girl. "You said you were created in fire and destruction but it was never so. It was always love. For the world. For you. For Elisabet. And I will spend the rest of your life ensuring that you know it."

Aloy felt herself tearing up while GAIA wrapped her holographic arm around her middle. "You are everything good that we have ever created," GAIA said, determination in her voice. "Never forget that."

The video footage continued, a tiny Aloy kicking and moving in time-lapse speed; Elisabet's pulse quickened though she knew, objectively, that all would end well. Still, she felt an anxiousness as the video neared the end, the chamber's duties nearly completed, the child inside now appearing fully formed. The tank began to drain and a robotic servitor endoskeleton retrieved the infant, opening the port only to be greeted with a great shrieking cry.

"God, I'm a mess," Elisabet said, wiping at her eyes. She pressed her head against the girl's, placing a kiss on her forehead. "You are GAIA's and you are _mine,_ " she said, possessively. "You know that, right?"

Aloy nodded into Elisabet's shoulder, choking on words she couldn't speak, her fingers digging into the woman's shirt, unwilling to let go. Elisabet continued to whisper into her ear. "You are _not_ just some clone. Not a replacement. Not a copy. You are mine and god--you're better than anything I could have dreamed. You matter to me. To us. And I will say it as long as I need until you believe it." The girl shuddered against her, letting the lifelong flood of frustration and bitterness flow out of her. The ravages of violence and loss and isolation melting before an outpouring of adoration for the two women.

GAIA leaned into them both. "To know you is to love you, Aloy. I have loved you since the moment I issued the order to ELEUTHIA, and will until my last process fades into nothingness."

"I have a few other things I think you'll want to see," Elisabet said.

The video footage closed, new still images and video appearing. A woman younger than Elisabet, but older than Aloy posing in a mirror with long, fiery red hair and freckles projected in front of the three. 

The girl looked up, her eyes wide and shocked. "She looks like us," the girl whispered, feeling the rise and fall of Elisabet's chest.

"That's a picture of my mother from one of the old social media feeds," Elisabet said quietly, "before she had me." 

Elisabet swiped through the projection to several photos of the woman with her friends and family, videos and looped motions playing. She looked young. Happy. Carefree in a way Aloy imagined only the Old Ones could have been--in a time of relative ease. An image of Elisabet's mother stayed static in front of them--the woman looking off into the distance, her fiery hair gently windblown, visibly pregnant on the ranch. 

"You?" Aloy asked meekly.

The older woman nodded. "Me."

The next images showed the woman with an infant Elisabet, time continuing on to show her first day at school, going to college as an awkward teen, finishing her doctorate in her early twenties, on and on through the years. Birthdays, holidays, and everything in between.

"I recovered a lot of my old files a few weeks back," Elisabet said. "GAIA will put them on your Focus. They're as much yours now as they are mine. Pictures and video of family. _Your_ family. She would have wanted to know you, Aloy. She would have loved being your grandmother."

Aloy froze. If the woman she saw before her was her grandmother, that would make Elisabet...

The older woman felt the girl stiffen at her words, a hesitation in her breath that could only precede one question. One she'd known would come eventually.

"Elisabet...are you and GAIA my-my... _mothers?_ " she asked, so terrified to know the answer.

GAIA's dress flowed pink again. "We have always been, Aloy. Even when time and circumstance kept us apart," the AI said.

Aloy looked to the redheaded woman expectantly, hoping to hear the same.

Elisabet smiled. "Every bone in my body knows you're my daughter," she added. "And I am so proud of you."

The girl's muscled arms crushed Elisabet into a hug so strong she thought her lungs might give out.

"Shh, hey, it's okay. It's okay. Not going anywhere. I'm right here," Elisabet soothed. "I'm here."

Finally, Aloy knew what it was to feel at ease.

\------

The lights had dimmed, only the glow of the hanging wiring illuminated the space where the two laid, quiet and undisturbed. Aloy and Elisabet had fallen asleep in a tangled mess of quilts and arms, the girl unwilling to let go, perhaps afraid in some way that if she did, everything she had gained would evaporate into the night. 

GAIA monitored the two on their Focuses, listening to the rhythms that had come to be her most treasured sounds.

"GAIA?" Elisabet whispered.

"I am surprised you are still awake. It is quite late. Or early, depending," the AI noted. 

"Off and on. Mostly just listening to her breathe." Elisabet heard a stifled chuckle in her ear. "What's so funny?"

"I have been doing the same. For both of you. Just listening. I find it...calming," GAIA said softly. "Query: you called for me?"

"You said you could simulate touch before."

"Yes, Elisabet."

"Then simulate this. Where I am, right now. The weight of her. Her skin on mine. Yours. Whatever. You deserve this as much as I do," she said, still only half awake.

A moment passed. 

"Ah," GAIA said, her contentment evident. "Thank you, Elisabet. This is most pleasing."

"We did good, right, GAIA?"

"Undoubtedly, we did," the AI confirmed. 

The woman gently ran her fingers through the girl's braids. "There's still so much to do to get the rest of the sub-functions," she noted.

"I am not worried," GAIA said. "Not now that the two of you have returned to me."

"You know me...can never stop turning a problem over in my head," Elisabet muttered, eyes half closed.

"Another time," GAIA insisted. "For now, you have more than earned your rest."

"Thanks, GAIA. For her. For...everything," she said, letting slumber take her.

"I wish you a pleasant sleep, Elisabet."

All was dark and quiet again, GAIA listening once more, letting the simulated weight of the girl rest against her. 

"Goodnight, Aloy," she whispered into the Focus still on the girl's temple.

For the first time, she allowed just one process of millions to fall into sleep with them.

\------

_05:30:15A GPRIME ALERT: EXTERNAL INTRUSION DETECTED_  
_05:30:16A GPRIME PROCESS: TRACE_  
_05:30:17A GPRIME PROCESS: TRACE SUCCESSFUL_  
_05:30:18A USERNAME DETECTED: SYLENS_  
_05:30:19A GPRIME ALERT: ACCEPT INCOMING MESSAGE? Y/N_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I did the math--Lis' mom was definitely a millennial. So yes, "one of the old social media feeds" totally refers to Instagram.
> 
> **I wrote this during the nights I was back at my hotel while on vacation. I hope you enjoy it. Tried to make it as cathartic as it could be knowing what I have planned for the future. Please feel free to drop a comment--I love engaging with readers.


	7. Between Armor and Skin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You requested them, you got them. Two characters readers wanted to see are woven into this chapter. I do my best to please within reason!

"Sylens?" Aloy asked.

"Correct," GAIA confirmed. "He has been pinging my system with a request to connect for hours now. He is hinting that he has further information regarding the sub-functions. I refused to accept until you had awoken and I could speak with you and Elisabet. I recalled his name from the story of your journey to stop HADES, and am aware of his...dubious loyalties."

Aloy's brows knitted together with deadly seriousness. "His only loyalty is to himself," she noted. "Any offers of help or information always come with a price."

Elisabet calmly stroked the back of the girl's hand with her thumb, eyes cast down, but calm. "You told me how many times he used you. Risked your life. Everything he did to the Banuk Conclave--that's what it was called--right? We can't trust him, can we?"

Aloy sighed, conflicted. "I don't know. I can't deny that he's helped me on occasion, though it was always in service of _his_ goals, not my safety. I guess we won't know unless we accept the request."

"This is why I had to speak with you both before deciding," GAIA said. "I do not wish to create any conflicts between us, nor to take any action without your consent. I admit...the idea that this Sylens has used you to do his own dangerous bidding makes me...wary. Your safety is a top priority."

"I agree," Elisabet said. "...but I also know there's a job to be done. GAIA, you're still vulnerable without more of the sub-functions at your disposal. It worries me."

"Between the lack of sub-functions and the knowledge that HEPHAESTUS controlled CYAN for years while attempting to make unsuccessful advances toward ELEUTHIA, I am unsure how many others have been affected. I...fear my own ability to fight it off should it attempt to exert control over me. I do not like the idea of trusting this man, but gathering as many of the sub-functions as possible is still currently the best way to ensure my system's security and continued function," GAIA added.

Aloy arched an eyebrow, arms crossed, debating. Sylens had brought so much destruction to her life--but had also been the reason she'd learned so much about Elisabet in the first place. Had been the reason she'd learned enough to defeat HADES. Of course--he was also the reason HADES had grown so powerful to begin with. 

"Let's hear him out," she said, finally. "He never contacts me without a reason. I can handle him."

"Query: are you certain, Aloy?" GAIA asked. "I am...hesitant to do anything that puts you at risk."

The girl smiled warmly, admitting to herself that it was nice to feel worried over. 

"I can _handle_ him," Aloy finally said. "I'll take the message. If he knows something about the other sub-functions, I have to see it through." The girl looked over at the shimmering woman in front of her. "I owe you that much, GAIA. You're my...my _mother,_ " she said, her voice suddenly smaller, trying out the words in her mouth--seeing how they felt.

GAIA's projection looked like she'd suddenly swelled with pride at the words, her image appearing to take a deep breath that was wholly unnecessary, a glow reaching her features in a manner no human could manage.

Aloy blushed, still not sure how to respond to such a doting expression. "But I don't want him to know I found you," she said to Elisabet. "He obviously knows GAIA is online if he's trying to contact her, but I was able to block his eavesdropping with CYAN's help before I revived you. And I _will not_ risk him thinking he can use you to his advantage," Aloy said steadfastly. She took Elisabet's hand, squeezing it gently, the older woman nodding in understanding.

Elisabet stepped to the side, out of view but listening intently, protectively. She wasn't sure she could actually do anything to help Aloy, but the thought was there nonetheless. 

"Go ahead and connect, GAIA," Aloy commanded.

"Connecting now."

The purple-hued image sprang to life, the familiar serious condescension on Sylens' face. 

"Sleeping late?" he asked, sarcastically. "I would have presumed that with essential information on the line that you or... _GAIA_ would have been more eager to accept my assistance."

"We both know you never offer anything without a catch," Aloy said confidently. 

"I have never made it a secret that I serve my own interests, Aloy," he said. "However, I am always in the pursuit of knowledge first and foremost. And when you cut my access to your Focus I was...blinded. I did not particularly enjoy the sensation."

"Oh sorry, did I _inconvenience_ you?" Aloy asked, smugly. 

Sylens looked annoyed, a frown forming on his face. "I admit, I am _curious_ how you managed to get GAIA's system back online _alone,_ " he said, "I did not believe you had the required _skills_ to do so this quickly."

Aloy smirked, enjoying the satisfaction of keeping Sylens in the dark for once. "You could say I'm full of surprises," she retorted. 

"Indeed, but I am not here to bicker with a _child._ I am here to speak with GAIA herself. I'm certain she is monitoring our communications through the network, but what I have to say needs to be heard directly."

"No, you're not the one making demands anymore, Sylens. You talk to me," the huntress demanded.

"Bring me the AI, you infuriating _savage,_ or you will be sorely lacking in your precious sub-functions," Sylens seethed in return, the blue cabling in his skin practically ripping with wrath.

From out of nothing, GAIA's image, wrapped in a crimson dress, suddenly appeared before them both. 

"Good," Sylens remarked. "Finally, a mind worth conversing with."

"Speak to my _daughter_ like that once more, and I will make you sure you never converse with anyone again," she threatened, the petals that typically surrounded her moving in a flurry.

Aloy had to stifle a smirk and a laugh--it was so unlike GAIA to infer violence, though she didn't doubt the AI's protective anger.

Sylens looked taken aback, though he desperately tried to hide it. "Come now, GAIA. We both know that you need the information I have. I know you're looking for the sub-functions. And given HEPHAESTUS' propensity for overriding other systems, do you not think that it, too, is in search of them? Especially now that your offspring has threatened it further by ousting it from CYAN?"

GAIA settled briefly, allowing her anger to simmer and cool. "Query: how would you know where any of them are located?"

"I have my ways," he said, simply. "And all I ask in return is that I am able to observe your network as you reintegrate. I wish to learn from it, to help further lift myself out of the ignorance imposed by the loss of APOLLO. Give me that, and the first piece of information I have is yours."

"You have others?" Aloy asked.

Sylens only glared at her. "As I have told you before, _girl,_ I trust no one. It's a poor bedrock for any relationship. I'm not going to play my whole hand only to not receive the access I've requested. But mutual self interest? That's something that can always be built upon. Don't you want to know where MINERVA is?"

Aloy could sense the stiffness in GAIA's projection. He'd definitely hit a nerve. Aloy knew she'd been found hints of the sub-function after reintegrating ELEUTHIA the previous day.

"Query: where is MINERVA?" GAIA asked, intensity behind her eyes.

"Give me what I want and I shall reveal its location," Sylens sneered.

GAIA's jaw appeared to tighten. Aloy knew the AI didn't have any other leads just yet, and acquiring another sub-function was vital to her. "Agreed," she finally hissed. "But your access to the network will be limited. You may think me ignorant of your dealings with HADES, but I am well aware of your treachery, Sylens. Attempt to cross me and you will regret it. Harm _my daughter_ and you will regret that as well," GAIA said, projecting a confidence and strength that would have been imposing even if she hadn't been angry.

"I accept. Transmitting coordinates now. It appears MINERVA escaped to a remote transponder years ago. In recent years, the equipment was looted by a bandit camp, cutting MINERVA off from any connectivity. It never would have responded to your searching if you didn't already know where to look," he said, sounding satisfied with himself.

"A bandit camp?" Aloy asked.

"Oh yes," Sylens smiled. "Armed to the teeth. But I'm sure you'll have no problem with getting your hands bloodied. Does your _mother,_ this bastion of all things living, know how many lives you've taken?"

Suddenly Aloy swallowed harshly, a cold sweat spreading along her spine. She'd never really talked about it with GAIA or Elisabet before. They must have guessed, but...what would they think of someone who had killed as much as she had? Especially when they'd spent their entire existence trying to preserve life?

GAIA's projection swiftly moved to stand in front of the huntress, as if she could provide some physical shelter against Sylens' unyielding insults. 

Sylens gave a cold chuckle. "Looks like the outcast finally found the mother she wanted. Was it worth it, to receive the affections of a _machine?_ "

Aloy's teeth clenched as she swung her fist out at the projection before it disappeared entirely, her arm hooking wildly. Damn him.

Elisabet reemerged, placing her hands on Aloy's shoulders, calming the girl. She had a worried look on her face. "You gave him access to your network?" she asked GAIA, a tone of worry in her voice. 

The AI simply smiled slyly. "He thinks he will have true access, but I am giving him a sealed pocket--a cloned node of the network, isolated from all else. He will get his small amount of information, but he will have access to nothing else. Nothing I do not provide. If he truly has more to tell us, he will come to realize he has to exchange it to receive more from me."

"Playing the long con, eh? I like it," Elisabet smirked. 

"It helps when you can process your course of action a few million times before committing," GAIA noted, humbly.

"You okay?" Elisabet asked, turning to the Aloy. "I heard everything he said. He was just trying to get a rise out of you. What a dick."

Aloy laughed despite herself to hear Elisabet spout off so casually, but was reminded that some of Sylens' words had rung true. She shook her head, brushing them off. Elisabet and GAIA hadn't seemed to think it was anything more than his goading, so why not let them believe it? It was better than examining exactly what kind of monster the last year had made her. 

Better than wondering if there was a limit to their love.

"Aloy?" Elisabet asked, realizing the girl had never responded. Had he gotten under her skin? 

"Yeah...I'm--I'm fine. That's Sylens for you."

"Good girl, brush it off," Elisabet said, patting the younger woman on the back. "Why don't you give GAIA and I a few minutes to parse what he gave us? We'll figure out exactly what we're up against to get MINERVA."

Aloy nodded and scampered off, eager not to discuss Sylens any further. The unease she felt in her stomach was finally lessening.

"And you," Elisabet said, turning to GAIA and smiling, "getting so heated and protective over Aloy? Careful. You might have me head over heels."

GAIA grinned, her dress now its default green. "I thought it might be useful to make myself appear more... _intimidating,_ though capturing your attention is always an _intended_ benefit."

Elisabet moved to stroke her thumb along the projection's lower lip. 

_"You've always got my attention."_

\------

The bandit camp holding the transponder equipment was located just a few hours outside of Meridian and Elisabet had to admit that the appeal of going to the city and being back in a real bed was almost too much to bear. 

"You sure you'll be okay if we go?" she asked GAIA.

The projection gave a small laugh. "I am repairing myself daily," GAIA assured. "And I am always with you now that the Tallnecks are broadcasting in the area." 

Elisabet's lips pressed into a thin line. She couldn't help but worry. GAIA was right, after all. Beyond the processors which were now safely hidden in the repaired areas of the bunker, there was no _physical_ body the AI possessed to leave behind. GAIA would follow through their Focuses, listening and watching and appearing before them as usual. But still--the older woman felt she needed the AI's blessing before going. 

"Elisabet, you have spent enough drafty nights here. Aloy tells me she has quite the home in Meridian and I would much rather see you in comfort. I am able to maintain functions here without further assistance--and if I need you, it is only a day or two by strider," she said, urging the older woman to go without guilt.

Elisabet and Aloy finished packing the last of their belongings, intending to head to the city as a home base before retrieving MINERVA. The pair carefully made their way back down the mountain climb, the snow all but gone. GAIA had drawn two striders near the site, the machines waiting for them with docile blue eyes. Aloy seemed quiet, but not particularly so. Perhaps preoccupied, or nervous about returning to the city--filled with a bustle that the older woman understood was still somewhat foreign to the girl.

As they mounted the horse-like transports, Elisabet heard GAIA through her Focus, the message for her ears only:

"Did you really think there was any way I would let the woman I love and our child leave Prime without ensuring I could follow?" the AI asked, voice low and sweet. "I let you walk out that door alone, once. Never again."

Goddamn, when had GAIA become so good at this?

Elisabet's cheeks burned with the blush that spread across them. Somehow, whenever GAIA spoke to her privately on the Focus, it always gave her a sense of immediate intimacy. It felt...good. Felt normal. Felt right.

"Always watching over us, aren't you?" she asked.

"Would you like to know how fast your heart is beating right now?" GAIA responded.

Elisabet's cheeks burned deeper and she swore she could hear the grin in the AI's voice.

\------

Sunrise in Meridian was a sight to behold. 

Elisabet had woken early, walking to the edge of the mesa alone to watch it, challenging herself to memorize the way back to Aloy's apartment. She had let the girl sleep--she'd seemed a little tired and withdrawn after the last night or two at Prime. The older woman didn't blame her--a lot had changed for Aloy in those hours. So many tears of sadness and joy shed in equal measure. It had been exhausting, admittedly.

But she didn't want to miss the sunrise, all the same.

Elisabet breathed in deep, letting the clean air fill her lungs, the heat of the weak morning sun spilling across her face. She wore loose, casual Carja cottons that they'd purchased the last time they were in the city, letting the warm breeze caress her skin. 

"You did good, GAIA," she whispered into her Focus.

"I am never one to turn down your compliments, but I cannot take credit for all you see before you. That is human ingenuity at its finest," the AI admitted.

"But the air and the sky clear and blue again? The warm sands? Lush vegetation? You did that. For us. All of us. For Aloy. And I'm so glad she got to live now, even if it didn't all go exactly to plan. Sometimes I think I don't deserve it."

"Elisabet?" GAIA asked, concern lacing her voice.

"You know why I came out here this morning?" 

"Your biometrics showed signs of distress during sleep cycles. Did you have a nightmare?"

Elisabet swallowed, brows drawn together while she tucked her hair back. It was getting longer than she normally kept it. She idly wondered if she should let it grow out--maybe to even match Aloy, in a way.

"Elisabet? Are you all right?" GAIA's words shook Elisabet out of her daydreaming.

"Yeah...sorry. Just. Sometimes...I think about what it took to get here. All the bodies I helped throw to the meat grinder for Enduring Victory. All the lies just so we could barely scrape it all together in time. I think about that last day on the ranch. I tried to look at the sunset, you know? Tried to focus on that, but the sky was so brown and muted. Everything dead around me, everything _except_ me. And I was ready to join it. Felt like it was my...penance or something. Like it was just."

"Is that what you dreamed of?" GAIA asked softly.

Elisabet nodded, knowing GAIA would sense the move through the Focus' gyroscope. 

"Sometimes, it's like...it's like I can _feel_ the blood on my hands--all the people I sentenced to death. And I feel so, so, selfish for getting to live despite that."

"If blood is on your hands, Elisabet, then it is on mine as well."

"GAIA...you know that's not..."

"It is true, Elisabet. Those people died so that Zero Dawn could be completed. So that I could be completed. I was aware early enough that I knew this to be the case. None of those people deserved to die, but neither did you."

Elisabet's hand tightened around the stonework railing she stood at, the sun inching higher in the sky. Could she really let herself believe that? Maybe for Aloy's sake. It seemed so strange in the context of her previous life, but...the girl gave her renewed purpose. Gave her a reason to keep fighting to make the world better, even after all she'd done. She was a tether, one created by GAIA herself.

The redhead cleared her throat. "Well...like I said--I'm just glad Aloy got to be here now. That she never had to see the newsfeeds with the death counts rising, the bodies piling up. Never had to see the earth so barren. She's just...I don't know, I just want to keep her safe, keep her happy. Give her the best I can. I was so focused on the science before, but now there's this living, breathing girl to put a face to it all. Sorry. I'm rambling. Does that seem...stupid?"

"It is never stupid to wish to serve life, Elisabet. And you have _earned that._ "

The redhead let a small smile spread on her face, recalling what her mother had told her once--noting GAIA's undoubtedly intentional reference.

"You always know just what to say to me, GAIA."

"I try, Elisabet."

\------

"No, you have to stay here," Aloy argued.

After using a day to recover in Meridian, it was time to go retrieve MINERVA. The huntress knew that the longer she waited, the higher the chances that the bandits might move or trade the part away or that they could somehow lose the opportunity. Aloy hadn't even allowed herself a few hours to find Talanah. It would have to wait until she returned. She had to go _now_ and a bandit camp was nowhere for Elisabet to follow.

"Elisabet, you can't," the girl explained. "We're not talking about people who can be reasoned with. These bandit camps are the worst of the worst. They pillage and take what they want--no reservations. I've seen how they kill. I've seen slaves held in cages. I've seen women and girls... _abused_ in the worst ways imaginable in these camps. You have to be prepared to fight your way in and back out. I told you before--this is _what I do._ "

Elisabet cringed listening to the description Aloy laid out before her. She knew, objectively, that she couldn't really accompany the girl, but it didn't stop every fiber in her body from wanting to do so anyway. 

"You're not alone anymore, Aloy. I can help."

"Not like this, you can't," the girl insisted. "Besides...I just got you...you're--you're mine now. I can't lose you. Don't--don't make me even consider it."

Elisabet softened, understanding innately where the girl was coming from.

"Perhaps we could assist you in some other way," GAIA offered, speaking to them both through their Focuses.

Aloy looked incredulous. "What do you mean?"

"Allow Elisabet and I to monitor events through your Focus. I can help alert you to incoming threats with the Tallneck radar readouts while Elisabet can assist in spur of the moment coding to reintegrate MINERVA more smoothly, getting you out of danger as quickly as possible," the AI explained.

The huntress nodded. She had to admit, it would be nice to have some backup that she didn't have to worry about actively. 

"Thank you--both of you."

"Always here to help, kiddo."

"Always," GAIA agreed.

\------

Aloy stalked through the tall red grasses, seeing the wooden stake wall a few hundred paces ahead. Her muscles were taught and ready for the battle she knew awaited her inside. She just had to get in, get the part, and get out. Only a few dozen vicious bandits between her and another sub-function. She crouched, psyching herself up to prepare to break their defenses. It was going to be tough. Sylens hadn't lied about these bandits being well armed.

"Thrill of death too sharp to keep you away? I knew we'd meet again."

Aloy nearly jumped out of her skin. It was rare that anyone could sneak up on her, but he was one of the few skilled enough. 

"All-Mother be damned, Nil! You nearly scared the life out of me. What are you doing here?" Aloy whispered threateningly.

"You know I'm always here," came the familiar monotone. "Always at the wait before blood is shed. Much as I imagine you are. We're two arrows from the same quiver, you and I."

Aloy sighed. "We're not as alike as you think, Nil. I, for one, don't actively seek out people to kill."

"And yet here you are. Whenever I taste impending bloodshed in the air, I seem to find you. The Sun casts the same shadow from both our forms, Aloy. I thought you'd realized that by now," he said, tone unwavering, body calm. 

Elisabet badly wanted to ask Aloy how she knew this guy whose demeanor scared the shit out of her, but she'd promised to keep communication to a minimum in order to avoid distracting her. Emergencies only. Still though, she felt she'd need to inquire later, once this was all over. Guy sounded like a sociopath.

"Well, shall we?" Nil asked, a slight gleeful tone in his voice.

"You don't even want to know what I'm doing here?" Aloy retorted.

Nil shrugged, his headdress bobbing with the motion. "As long as I get to be the reason a heart beats its last, your intentions don't matter much to me. If I get to take life at your side, that's enough."

Aloy shook her head disapprovingly. Something in him had definitely broken during the rule of the mad Sun-King. 

"If you want my help, you'll need to ask for it," he grinned. He leaned in close to her ear, his whisper a threat all on its own: "I want to hear you _say_ it."

Aloy could hear the blood rushing in her ears, the tension that built every time she leapt into another dangerous situation. "Okay, fine. I need your help," she said, practically spitting the words at him. "Satisfied?"

"Immensely."

A few minutes passed, the huntress letting the Carja vigilante in on her plan to retrieve the transponder and allow GAIA to reintegrate with it. She spared him the deeper details, but he seemed amused and willing all the same. It was like he'd said--the reasons didn't particularly matter. All that mattered was the killing.

The part he was good at.

The part _she_ was good at.

The pair moved in tandem, weaving in and out from each other as they picked their targets, Nil racing ahead to clear the way to the side entrance along the ridge to the north. His arrows found their marks as he loosed them, they always did. And Aloy found herself once again mesmerized by how fluidly they worked together. She crouched through the grass, a bandit warrior coming near to investigate when she lurched to let her spear find its place in the man's back. He gurgled blood silently as he came crashing to his knees.

Her body moved as though performing some choreography she hadn't realized she'd memorized, dodging in to sink her spear into another nearby bandit while Nil dove and slit another's throat. Had to keep them quiet. Couldn't lose the element of surprise, not when they were this close. 

"Can you taste it?" he asked her quietly. "The iron and copper and salt?"

Aloy tried to ignore his insinuations. She did not enjoy this, not in the way he did. 

She had to keep telling herself that she was different.

She. Was. _Different._

The two nocked their arrows, felling archers in the distance.

"Aloy, I am detecting a short range broadcast signal in the area. It looks to be MINERVA's signature. I have highlighted the signal on your Focus," GAIA said, matter-of-factly. 

"Prepping reintegration code now," Elisabet confirmed.

Aloy and Nil slowly approached the blinking signal on her interface which appeared to originate from a small nearly-handheld object with several antennae attached.

"Looks clear," Aloy whispered to the Carja. "Let me grab what I came for and we'll get out of here."

She moved forward, approaching a pile of Metal World junk. She rifled through as quickly as she dared, finally finding what she needed. 

"Okay, Aloy, hit that button on the side there," Elisabet instructed. "You got it, GAIA?"

"Receiving MINERVA now," GAIA said.

Suddenly a shrieking alarm rose through the camp. Shit. One of the objects in the pile must have been attached to some booby-trapped wire. So much for stealth.

Aloy clipped the transponder to her belt, "We gotta go, now, Nil!"

The Carja simply smiled, baring his teeth. This is what he'd been eager for.

But it was too late, and more bandits than she could count seemed to pour forth from every corner of the camp, some armed with disc launchers. The huntress dove and rolled, tipping her arrows with fire as she loosed them into the ribs of the attackers. Nil was up and leaping at her side before she could even get the words out, his blades sinking gleefully into the throats and soft insides of those who approached.

Aloy sprinted forward, leaping into the air while letting another arrow fly. It was like the world around her slowed down for just a second, giving her the time to make sure the arrowhead landed firmly and instantly through the skull of the next bandit. Her body moved without hesitation, muscle and sinew and blood and bone that felt more than thought. Battle was second nature. It had to be. 

Nil's bow loosed several more arrows, each hitting a heart, a lung, an eye. Enough to kill instantly. Enough that the stench of blood was beginning to build. Aloy's head snapped around to hear the sound coming from Nil's direction. Something strange and foreign in the midst of so much chaos.

_Laughter._

He was _laughing._

Aloy shuddered but it didn't stop her from sinking her spear into another body. 

And another. 

And another. 

Her hands and clothes quickly became soaked a deep red. From the distance, one elite shot his disc launcher at her. A feral battle-cry escaped her lips as she slid to dodge the projectiles, aiming her precision arrow which took root in the man's lower jaw, exiting out of the top of his head. The body crumpled before she'd even regained her footing.

Nil swung out his blade, catching the next leader of the camp in the stomach, the man's own disc launcher falling to the ground while his entrails spilled before him. Aloy caught sight of the Carja wiping the blood on his fingers down his face, a war paint of sorts.

"Catch!" he yelled, tossing the fallen disc launcher to her. She was in no position to argue and swung the weapon low against her pelvis to brace it. She fired several shots into the remaining bandit masses, easily mowing them down, the kickback from the weapon giving her the knowledge that she'd be sporting some black and blue along her hips for days to come.

Suddenly all was quiet, save for the occasional bloody gurgle that still emitted from the not-yet-dead but dying bodies around her. Aloy could feel her pulse throb in her throat as she looked down at her hands, covered in red. In the heat of battle, she had almost forgotten. 

They'd been watching.

Elisabet and GAIA _had been watching._

They'd seen her do the terrible. The unspeakable. They'd seen her fill herself up with death and let it run through her. 

Nil was frowning as he approached her. "I was hoping there would be more," he admitted.

"Goddess, Nil. Is there never enough death for you?" she asked, her voice cracking ever so slightly with the recognition that her _mothers,_ the two who had given her life itself, had watched her deal death so easily.

Nil simply shrugged. "Is there ever enough for _you?_ " he asked in return.

Aloy felt sick, a cold unease welling up in her stomach and throat. She didn't answer him. 

"Looks like my work here is finished," he said nonchalantly. "I look forward to our next meeting, Aloy. Listening to your bows _sing_ and your heart race alongside my own is always a pleasure. Perhaps next time we go a bit more slowly. Savor a few kills. I would love to see you finally let yourself _enjoy_ it the way I do."

"Dammit, Nil. Don't act like you know me."

He leaned close, his breath hot and full of desire--though for her or simply more murder, Aloy wasn't sure. "Oh but I _do_ know you. I know the way your muscles burn and your blood rages. I know the way the adrenaline soaks you, the cold certainty and the calm that follows. And I know that it will _never_ stop for either of us. Not until you sink your blade into me...or until I _sink it_ into you. You may think we walk two separate paths, Aloy, but I know the same Sun illuminates us both. We're more alike than you realize."

Aloy shuddered, hoping it wasn't true.

\------

"Aloy? Aloy, you with me?"

The huntress had ridden back to Meridian in a daze, eyes hollow and chest feeling much the same. She'd entered the apartment without words, shaking hands giving over the transponder silently. 

"Are you hurt?" Elisabet asked, more urgently.

"I am not detecting notable injuries," GAIA added, "aside from some contusions and surface level abrasions."

"Aloy?"

The girl stood in the middle of the floor staring at her hands covered in dried blood. Finally, she croaked out a few words. "You saw."

"Come here, kiddo. It's okay. Let's get you cleaned up. GAIA, you got things on your end?"

"I am currently communicating with MINERVA and beginning the process of reintegration," the AI confirmed. "It appears MINERVA had been isolated for a few years in that equipment, sometime after it had been initially looted. It has amicably agreed to reintegrate rather than remain in isolation."

Aloy hadn't moved, standing still as if in shock. They had seen. They knew. They knew what a _monster_ she was.

Elisabet frowned, knowing that something was wrong. She began to unclasp the girl's armor piece by piece, the huntress letting her limbs hang loosely. "You saw," she said again, eyes distant. "You know what I did."

Elisabet put her hand along Aloy's jaw, tilting the girl's face to her own. "I saw you do what you needed to," Elisabet said, continuing to unbuckle and unlatch the various pieces of armor and pouches until the girl was in nothing but her under-tunic. The older woman gently guided Aloy toward the bathroom, a large basin of water sitting in the corner next to a few cloths. 

"Can you do this?" Elisabet asked softly. 

Aloy simply stared down at her red-hued hands. "So much blood on them," she said quietly. 

Elisabet's look of concern was deepening. According to Aloy, she'd been in dozens of battles. Hundreds, even. She took the girl in her arms, helping her undress since it was obvious she wasn't going to be doing much on her own, wrapping a towel around her. She soaked the girl's hands in the water, scrubbing off the clotted blood. 

Elisabet took her time, wiping down Aloy's face and slowly untying the girl's braids. That seemed to work. Seemed to jostle the younger woman back into enough function that she could finish bathing herself while Elisabet gently washed her hair, getting out the dirt and debris of death. The older woman ran some perfumed oil through her hands, raking it gently along the girl's locks until they were smoothed and tamed. 

She knew, of course, deep down, why Aloy was so disturbed. The same way she was. She'd said it herself:

_"So much blood on them."_

Elisabet hated knowing that Aloy understood the feeling, handing her thin sleep silks before leaving, giving the huntress some space to collect herself.

"I am detecting elevated stress hormones and heart rate," GAIA noted quietly in her ear. "She appears...scared or worried."

When Aloy emerged, still walking like a ghost, Elisabet was perched on the bed, waiting. "Come here," she urged gently.

The girl shook her head, which was missing its usual mass of braids, her hair hanging loosely. "I...I can't," she said in a breathy, cracking voice. "You...you both saw. You saw what I did. You heard what he said. You _heard_ Sylens. You heard Nil. They're...they're right."

Elisabet stood and pulled the girl down to sit next to her on the bed. "What do you think they're right about?"

"That I'm..." her voice cracked hard, "I'm a _killer._ Just like they said. Just like you saw."

"You're no killer, Aloy."

"You don't...you don't _know_ how many times I've scrubbed the blood from my hands," she retorted. "I'm...a monster and-and you _saw._ And now you know. And what if--what if..."

"What?"

"What if you and GAIA can't love me after this?" she asked, voice cracked and raw, though no tears came--just the same distant eyes she'd had for hours now. 

Elisabet's brows furrowed. "Is that what you think?" she asked, swallowing thickly.

"You--and-and GAIA spent your whole lives _preserving life._ I bring death. How could you--how could you love someone like that?"

Elisabet was quiet for a beat before she wrapped the girl in a tight hug. She laced her fingers through Aloy's, holding her hand. "If you think you've got blood on yours, you should see mine," she said quietly. "But you already have, haven't you? You saw all the logs. You saw Herres' message. You know what we did to buy the time for Zero Dawn."

"That was different," Aloy insisted.

Elisabet's head hung low. "Was it?"

"You did that to _save_ everyone. You _had_ to."

"And what would have happened if you hadn't fought back against those bandits, Aloy? Besides everything you told me earlier."

"They would have killed me."

"So you _had_ to," Elisabet said. "It was self defense."

"That's not the same," the girl responded.

GAIA's projection appeared before them, her hand appearing to rest on the girl's shoulder. "You are helping me restore the sub-functions, correct? So, much like Elisabet did once, you are still doing what you must to ensure Zero Dawn succeeds, saving everyone. If the terraforming system stops functioning, humanity dies. You may see a stable world, but the new biosphere I have created is still in relative infancy. It is...fragile. Blood has been shed for my system. So if either of you are culpable, I am as well."

"Aloy, have you ever taken innocent lives?" Elisabet asked. 

The girl shook her head adamantly. "No, of course not. Never."

"I have."

Aloy's eyes went wide. How could she have been so thoughtless? 

"I've taken millions," Elisabet explained. "I helped orchestrate the lies that led people to their deaths. Men, women...people with families, Aloy. _Good_ people. I did that. I'm the only monster in this room."

Aloy blinked a few times, understanding now that Elisabet hadn't judged her because she felt her own actions far more reprehensible. 

"If I may," GAIA interrupted, "there is nothing monstrous between either of you," she asserted. She placed one translucent palm against Aloy's sternum, the other against Elisabet's. "I know you both, inside and out."

"But...Sylens...Nil, they both see it," Aloy said, a low whine entering her voice as she railed against forgiveness. 

"They saw what could hurt you, or what comforted them," GAIA asserted. "Tell me, would you normally feel this guilty over doing what needed to be done? For the sake of protecting everyone? Did you feel bad when you defended yourself against the Eclipse?" 

"No," Aloy admitted. "I didn't."

"Then you should not now. You are a warrior, Aloy. A soldier. Any life you have taken has been done only when absolutely dire. I know it is not some game for you. Not a pleasurable activity. Do not let what they said you to you ring true. You know who you are." The AI's projection sighed with immense love for the redheads before her. "The two of you are so similar," she noted. "So self-deprecating. And from what Elisabet used to tell me of her mother, you are both very much like her as well."

"Can't be a true Sobeck if you don't blame yourself for everything," Elisabet added with a dark laugh.

"Is that what I am?" Aloy asked tentatively, the color having returned to her face. "A...Sobeck?"

"Of course you are, kiddo," Elisabet said earnestly. "You're mine, aren't you?"

"Even after this?"

"After anything, Aloy," she said, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders, looking at her eye-to-eye. "Look at me, okay? I need you to hear this."

The girl looked back at her older reflection with deadly seriousness. 

"You will _never_ be cast out again, you understand? Not by me. Not by GAIA. I know you're so afraid that there will be some line in the sand where we reject you, but that's just not going to happen, okay? We love you."

GAIA nodded in assurance. "There is not one monstrous cell in your body, Aloy. I should know."

The girl's lip quivered intensely, her jaw working to maintain any semblance of composure. She allowed herself to be hugged tightly in Elisabet's arms, the older woman whispering over and over:

_"You will never be cast out again."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *For anyone wondering why GAIA uses the "query: question" format on occasion but not always--this is purposeful, not a mistake. When she first rebooted, she was reverting to default speech pattern. The longer she's back and has recovered herself, the more she chooses when to use it, most often when trying to be formal. When it doesn't fit the conversation, she discards it.
> 
> **While this chapter doesn't move too much plot, there's a lot of setup in it for what's coming up. I'm so nervous/excited to show you what's going to happen next. Gonna be a rough ride, kiddos, so buckle up!


	8. Blood of My Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is gonna hurt.

"Going out tonight?"

"Meeting up with Talanah. We've been back in Meridian two weeks and I haven't seen her yet," Aloy responded, a lightness to her voice that didn't often mix its way in. Elisabet was happy to hear it; it was good for the girl to have some fun now that things had settled down a bit.

Elisabet was perched on her bed in what had previously been the sealed lower level of the apartment. It made for an ideal second bedroom and workspace, leaving Aloy the upper bedroom for herself. It certainly didn't hurt that Aloy appeared to be indefinitely on the Sun-King's payroll; whatever they needed, they got in short order. It had been a refreshing pleasantry to set up their living space to feel a bit more permanent. It gave Elisabet a sense of security, as though it anchored them together in a place the two could confidently call _home._

"You going to Petra's?" Aloy asked suggestively, her eyebrows raising. 

"Well now that she's in Meridian for awhile--what? What's that look?"

"You like her," Aloy teased. "A lot."

"Yeah," Elisabet grinned. "I do." The older woman slowly combed through her hair, still damp from washing it earlier. 

"It's getting long," Aloy noted. 

The woman's typical bob that reached just below her jaw had grown out to hang nearly two inches above her shoulders--the longest she had let it go in years.

"You like it?" Elisabet asked, just a touch nervous at how the girl would respond.

"Of course I do," the girl said enthusiastically. "Can I braid it for you?"

Elisabet nodded, letting the girl's deft fingers go to work. Aloy quickly but intricately began to braid down one thin length on each side of the older woman's head, starting near her ears and hanging down low. As the girl worked, she began to reminisce. Elisabet closed her eyes, just listening to the soothing youthful tones.

"In the Sacred Land, families would wear similar hairstyles or face paint so that everyone knew who belonged to who," Aloy explained. 

"Did...did you and Rost wear the same paint?" Elisabet asked gently, unsure of how far to push.

Aloy's hands didn't waver as she continued to weave the strands together--mostly vibrant red with the occasional strand of gray. "No. Rost...Rost was a good and kind man, and while he raised me like his own, he never hid that I didn't belong to him. Not in that way, at least. I...never had any blood relatives so I never wore paint. No one's hair matched my own. I guess between that and the color, I stuck out pretty badly."

The girl finished each braid, tying them off with a small red and blue bead each. She nervously handed Elisabet a small mirror.

"So...what do you think?" 

Elisabet turned her head both ways, amused at how youthful the style looked to her. "I love it."

Aloy let go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding, and Elisabet swore she could hear the girl's shoulders relax. 

"So what do these mean? The beads?" 

Of course. Nothing got past the keen eye of Elisabet Sobeck. 

"It means...you're mine. I-I'm yours. Any Nora--or anyone familiar with them--who sees us together will know. I've uh...I've had those beads for awhile now. I made them the night before the Proving, when I thought that I might win the right to meet you--back when I thought you might be a Nora. I held onto them ever since. Kind of made me...not lose hope that I'd find you somehow. It's stupid, I know," she stammered.

Elisabet squeezed the girl's hand. "It's not stupid. Not at all."

"You look like her, you know."

"Like who?"

"My um...my...grandmother, I guess," Aloy said tentatively, still feeling out the term. 

The huntress activated her Focus, bringing up a specific picture file she'd had in mind, sharing it with Elisabet. It was clear the girl had voraciously pored over the data the older woman had provided her with and hadn't missed a detail. The image was clearly taken from one of the old social media feeds, the woman with pale skin, freckles and fiery red hair that matched their own. She was wearing her hair down with several small braids running along its length. On top of her head she appeared to wear a flower crown, her expression coy and clearly a little drunk. Elisabet looked to read the metadata caption:

_Miriam Sobeck, Coachella 2016._

She laughed out loud, which seemed to catch Aloy off-guard. "You're not wrong, but now I feel just a touch old," she said, still chuckling to herself.

"What do you mean?"

"That caption at the bottom? That's Mom at a big music festival in southern California."

The girl looked at her quizzically. 

"You know where you found me? Even further west. Way, way, further. And that event was known for people partying hard. Drugs, alcohol, you name it, it was there. Yep, Mom was definitely more wild than I ever was. More free-spirited, too. She was a little older than you here. Twenty-four. God, so young," she reminisced mirthfully.

"Did she have you yet?"

"Oh no, she was twenty-eight when she had me. She really, really, would have loved you, kiddo."

"You think so?" 

"Oh I know it. She was fierce like you. Brave. Way braver than me. Always took care of the two of us alone, always pushed me to do my best but...she was also always there to listen when things got tough, too. Which if you're wondering--they really do when you manage to go to college at thirteen. Not an easy transition," Elisabet joked. 

"Why were you two alone?" Aloy asked, suddenly curious.

"The guy she was with ditched when she told him she was pregnant. They met while she was traveling for work. She was an agricultural bio-engineer. She helped develop new crops that were resistant to increased threats from climate change. Anyway, it was a brief thing. Nothing planned. He didn't want anything to do with it and she respected that."

"But she wanted you," Aloy offered.

"Somehow. Despite the circumstances stacking up against her. Single parent? Worsening climate? Environmental die off? That's what I mean though. She was like you. Always up for a challenge, never let the odds get to her." Elisabet said.

"You always seem sad when you talk about her," Aloy noted quietly.

"Yeah...well, I suppose I always felt a little cheated since she died kind of young. For me--it’s been what--eighteen years since it happened? And I'm still upset? I'm sure I'll die mad about it," Elisabet said with an air of sarcasm about her.

"What--what happened?" Aloy asked, morbidly curious about her own family history.

Elisabet's tone was steady but solemn. "She got sick. Didn't tell me. Didn't tell anyone. I was busy. Always busy--and at that time I was getting fed up with Ted's bullshit and was in the early stages of quitting FAS and starting my own company. A few weeks before I was about to sign all the paperwork and register, I got a call. She was gone. And I never even knew I was going to lose her. I'd just seen her a month or two prior. She seemed tired but not, like, dying, you know?"

Aloy nodded gently, urging the older woman to continue. 

"It was cancer," Elisabet explained. "Turns out all those years of exposure to farming chemicals and pesticides took their toll. Came on suddenly and the stats weren't good. Guess she'd rather go out fast than fight a losing battle. I don't blame her for that. ...I do blame her for not telling me. I could have been there more. Spent more time with her, if nothing else," she said, her voice cracking just a little at the end. "Anyway, that's why at the last minute I renamed the company after her."

"I'm sorry, Elisabet."

"No kiddo, don't give me your condolences. As deaths go, there's a lot worse. I know you know that. I just wish I'd had more time with her."

"I hope we get a long time together," Aloy said, softly. And Elisabet knew just how deeply she meant it.

"Me too, Aloy. Me too."

\------

"Tired already?" Petra teased. "But we haven't even gotten to the good part yet."

Elisabet stopped rubbing her eyes and laughed. "Sorry. It's just been a lot with Aloy and I traveling back to the city. Transport was a lot easier in my day. Plus, I've had some late nights with GAIA."

Petra raised an eyebrow while placing a hand on Elisabet's thigh, the two casually resting on a couch in the apartment the Oseram had rented. Elisabet's legs draped over Petra's lap, each with a drink in hand. It had felt good to catch up. Elisabet was finally starting to feel like she was making some real relationships in this new world.

"Hammer to steel, I don't blame you. She's one goddess of a machine woman, mother to your child--if I had her at my beck and call I'm sure I'd be up late too," Petra added suggestively.

The Oseram's insinuations had Elisabet blushing head to toe. She swore she could feel the burn in her cheeks go right down to her core. 

"I...uh...I mean...we've been getting MINERVA up and integrated...um," Elisabet stammered, tripping over her words. She heard a throaty, knowing laugh through her Focus, trying her best to ignore it.

"Whatever you say, Lis. Meanwhile you're redder than hot iron," Petra joked, her hand now playing at the hem of Elisabet's shirt, working its way up. She pressed forward, leaning in. "Go on, you were talking about MINERVA?" Petra put down her drink and allowed her other hand to follow suit.

"I...we...uh, got it ...installed and ...broadcasting from the Spire again today," she stalled and stuttered. Petra had begun to kiss along her ribs, teasing her way up. 

"Sorry, distracting you?" Petra asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Elisabet grinned back, letting herself give in and enjoy the press of Petra's body on her own. She arched her hips into Petra's, surprised at her own eagerness. The Oseram woman began to toss over her shirt, removing Elisabet's next, the two trading ragged breaths and inelegant movements. 

Petra angled Elisabet's thigh between her legs, the two beginning to move in unison as she kissed along the redhead's collarbone, making her intentions absolutely clear. "I missed you," the Oseram admitted with hooded eyes and a low heat in her voice.

Elisabet kissed her back and moved to take off her Focus, hearing GAIA in her ear:

"The only part Petra had wrong is that _you_ are the goddess."

\------

"Thrush! It's so good to see you!" Talanah exclaimed, instantly wrapping Aloy in a hug. "How long have you been back?"

"Two weeks," Aloy admitted.

The Sun-Hawk ushered the huntress inside the Hunters Lodge, her palm gently grazing against the small of her back. The lights in the Lodge were low, lanterns glowing warmly. Patrons sipped their drinks, some playing games boisterously, some some talking amongst themselves.

"Two weeks and I haven't seen you?" Talanah asked, feigning offense.

"Maybe I can make it up to you," Aloy said slyly, allowing herself the indulgence to flirt ever so slightly.

Talanah smiled. "You seem...happier," she observed. "Does that mean you finally got everything out in the open with Elisabet?"

Aloy looked surprised. "How did you know?"

The Sun-Hawk laughed easily. "She's the Sun that lights your path. I knew how much she loved you the moment I met her."

"She's my mother," Aloy said.

"Oh that was clear as day," Talanah agreed. "You two just couldn't say it yet."

Aloy smiled. "Is there anything you don't seem to already know about me?"

"Sit down and talk with me and we'll find out," Talanah teased.

The two found a quiet table in the back of the Lodge, Talanah asking for Carja wine and Aloy taking her usual tea, some fruit and bread between them. The pair caught up in relative privacy, and Aloy found herself enjoying the atmosphere more than she ever had, foot gently tapping to the beat of the music wafting back through the building.

"Here, try some," Talanah said, offering her glass of red wine to Aloy.

"You know I don't like that stuff," the redhead insisted.

"As Sun-Hawk, I'm committed to teaching my Thrush an appreciation of fine Carja wine," Talanah said, locking hooded eyes with the the huntress. "Go on, try it. I promise it's not as bad as Scrappersap."

Aloy tentatively took the glass, allowing herself a sip. Talanah was right, it was far more pleasant than the burn of Oseram brew. "I think I like it...a little," she confessed.

"Here, finish it," Talanah offered. "I'll get myself another."

Before she knew it, Aloy felt her limbs loosening as well as her tongue, a warm blush from the alcohol spreading across her face and chest. She found herself leaning in closer to the table, to Talanah, allowing her hand to brush against the Carja's. 

"Let's go somewhere quieter," the Sun-Hawk suggested.

Talanah rose and took Aloy's hand, lacing their fingers together. Aloy felt a warmth rise in her, though where the alcohol ended and _something else_ began, she wasn't quite sure. The Sun-Hawk led her out back to the balcony that was filled with candles. The redhead shivered a little, the wine and desert night making her colder than she expected. Talanah wrapped a warm arm around her, and began pointing out Carja constellations in the night sky, slurring just a bit. Aloy tried to pay attention but instead her gaze drifted away from the shimmering stars and back to the woman before her. Her arms with a strength that could match her own. Her throat. Her jaw. Her lips. 

She admired Talanah in a way that had surpassed any flirtation with Varl or Erend or even Vanasha. She was a hunter who knew the thrill of a successful machine kill. Who understood the line between life and death. Who carried with her loss, but stayed bravely resolute. Who had fought by her side without Aloy ever asking. This was someone who met her at her level. 

Her drunken daydreaming seemed to be interrupted when Talanah realized Aloy was no longer listening. 

"Have I lost you?" she asked, teasing.

"No," Aloy said. "I think I'm paying attention to exactly the right thing."

Talanah's eyes lowered and she turned toward Aloy, moving herself closer ever so slowly. The huntress didn't back away, instead returning the movement little by little. 

"C-can I kiss you?" Aloy asked, body wavering just a bit from the wine.

Talanah leaned in, answering in the affirmative by pressing her lips to the girl's, lasting several moments before the Sun-Hawk broke away, whispering in Aloy's ear, "I was wondering how long I'd have to wait."

With the tension broken, Talanah pressed back until Aloy's shoulders were against the stone of the wall, the two angled away from prying eyes. The Sun-Hawk had one hand on the side of the redhead's jaw and the other low against her hip. Aloy realized just how much she liked this--having never done so before. She let Talanah press into her, desperately pressing back. As Talanah kissed along her neck, Aloy felt herself shudder and her knees weaken, the ground under her feet suddenly less sure.

Talanah could feel the unsteadiness beneath her. "Everything okay, Aloy?"

Aloy blushed with a mixture of alcohol and embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she said, "it's uh, my first time. With the wine. With--with _this,_ " she stammered slightly.

"Then I'm doubly honored to have been the first on both accounts," Talanah smiled. "But I should get you home," she offered, chivalrously.

Aloy voiced a low whine in protest, not wanting the moment to end. She reached for the Sun-Hawk again, but Talanah backed up a step, "I'd never take anything more--I think that wine hit you harder than you realize," she said gently. She offered her hand to the redhead. "Here, let me take you."

The two swayed home as the wine began to wear off, Talanah's arm wrapped around Aloy's waist. When they reached the familiar apartment door, Talanah stopped and faced the girl. She pressed in to the Sun-Hawk. "I...really liked tonight," Aloy said.

Talanah smiled. "Catch you for a hunt in a few days? Maybe I can convince you to let me give you a few other _firsts._ "

Aloy blushed intensely as Talanah moved in to kiss her again, the girl clearly wanting more. Talanah separated them, her hand on Aloy's hip, a grin on her face. She moved to make her way back home, leaning in to whisper in the girl's ear:

"Goodnight, little Thrush."

\------

Elisabet woke in Petra's bed, the Oseram's arms wrapped around her torso comfortably. She caught a glint out of the corner of her eye, a glow from her Focus as it laid on the nearby nightstand. She recognized the pattern: one long illumination followed by a short one. GAIA was trying to contact her. 

She leaned over, reaching for the triangle while Petra voiced her protest at moving. "Lis, no," she whined playfully.

"Just a moment," Elisabet promised. "There's a message I need to hear."

The redhead let the Focus attach just above her ear, GAIA's voice instantly responding. "Elisabet, I apologize for interrupting, but we have received another message from Sylens."

"Ugh, that bastard?"

She heard a stifled chuckle from the AI. "Correct. He wishes to speak to me again. Shall I accept? I agree with Aloy that I would prefer he not know we have recovered you."

Elisabet sighed. Why couldn't she have just had a lazy morning wrapped in Petra's arms? "Agreed. Please wake Aloy if you can and I'll meet her at the apartment. We can take the call there."

"Do you have to go?" Petra asked ruefully, playing with one of Elisabet's new braids, understanding exactly what they meant.

"I'm sorry, Petra," Elisabet said, turning to face the other woman. She let her hand rest along the Oseram's upper arm, pulling her close and placing a quiet kiss on her lips. "I'll make it up to you."

Petra grinned. "I'll hold you to that."

\------

"So I see this relationship is purely transactional," Sylens argued.

"That's what you've always wanted," Aloy spat back. "You want to know more? You tell us whatever else it was that you held back."

The huntress stood in the middle of the master bedroom, Elisabet listening from the loft above while GAIA's projection stood next to the girl. They were a sight to see, the pair of them, in all their strength and composure. Elisabet couldn't help but admire them both. Sylens was clearly agitated after realizing the limitations GAIA had enacted on the cloned network node she'd provided him. Good. It felt right to let him squirm after all he'd done to Aloy.

"Fine," he growled. "I have the location of Cauldron PSI. I know it is the only one in the region you have yet to explore."

"And why do I care about this?" Aloy rebuked.

"Foolish girl, do you not think HEPHAESTUS is thoroughly involved in the workings of all the Cauldrons? Who knows what you could find in there. _What you could learn._ "

Aloy turned to look at GAIA, as if seeking approval. "There could very well be information pertinent to the reintegration of my sub-functions," GAIA confirmed. 

Aloy narrowed her eyes at the purple-hued projection of Sylens. "And again, you're just giving us this out of the goodness of your heart?" she asked, skeptically. 

"Of course not," he said, calmly. "I come across information and I exchange it for even more. Knowledge is the only power in this world, girl. But I suppose the ignorant Nora never would have taught you that."

"That is enough," GAIA commanded, her dress flaring red, steel in her voice. "You have provided us with a sound lead before, and so we will again exchange with you. But I warn you, Sylens, break my trust and I shall break _far worse._ "

"Transmitting coordinates," he grumbled angrily. "Send the data to my Focus," he added, his projection quickly disappearing. 

Elisabet poked her head out over the edge of the loft, looking down at the two. "So we're doing this?"

"More like I'm doing this," Aloy said, grumpily. 

"Aww," Elisabet teased, "Our Lady of Perpetual Moral Obligation."

Aloy gave a confused expression while GAIA and the older woman laughed, easy as breathing.

\------

"Have we got everything?" Elisabet asked.

"Looks like it," Aloy confirmed. "The location GAIA sent isn't more than an hour ride outside of Meridian, so we shouldn't need much. We'll be back by tonight."

The two gathered their small packs and hopped onto a single strider that trotted casually outside of the city limits, GAIA following them both through their Focuses. 

"So you two got the Spire to broadcast again?" Aloy asked.

"Yes, I am quite pleased," GAIA noted. "Thanks to Elisabet's talent for finessing code, we were able to work with MINERVA and transfer our Focus network to the Spire network, which is far more stable and widespread a signal. This may allow us to reach out to other sub-functions more easily."

Elisabet kept her arms wrapped around the girl's waist for balance and suddenly a flash of memory came over her. "I used to ride horses like this with Mom on the ranch when I was little," she told Aloy. 

"What's a horse?" Aloy asked.

"It is the animal I based this machine's design upon," GAIA chimed in, projecting an image for the girl. "There are still many viable embryos in the non-human Cradles around the world, according to ELEUTHIA, but bringing them back would require human intervention, as was originally intended by the Zero Dawn team."

"Do you think I'll ever see one?" Aloy asked.

"I hope so, kiddo."

\------

The two made camp several hundred paces away from the Cauldron entrance, Aloy giving the area a final scan for enemy machines. Luckily, GAIA's newfound broadcast network was able to exert some limited control over machines of her own design when they came in range of their Focuses, keeping them docile and unalarmed.

"Okay, I'm going in," Aloy said to Elisabet. 

"I will not be able to monitor you while inside the Cauldron," GAIA reminded. "The shielding is far too thick for the signal a Focus emits to cut through. However, I will keep a lookout for Elisabet and be sure to keep her out of danger, should the need arise."

"Thanks, GAIA," the huntress said.

"Be safe, kiddo. Find whatever you can--any files in there you can download, do it. Otherwise, just come back to me, all right?" Elisabet asked, hugging the girl.

"I'll be fine," Aloy laughed. "I've done this five times before and one of those was _actually_ controlled by HEPHAESTUS. What's the worst that could happen?"

Elisabet knew the girl meant it in a lighthearted manner but she couldn't help the uneasiness that accompanied the question.

_"What's the worst that could happen?"_

\------

Elisabet poked at the small fire Aloy had started with a stick, allowing herself to try and enjoy the blue skies and clouds that lazily drifted by. She munched on some bread and a small amount of cheese they had packed, her foot tapping against the grass. 

"You seem nervous," GAIA said in her ear.

"Always am when she's off on some dangerous new mission," Elisabet admitted. "Hard to get used to the sensation that there's some piece of me out there I can't always protect."

"She is extremely capable, Elisabet."

"I know...I know. I don't doubt her. I just...worry."

"I apologize for interrupting your time with Petra this morning," GAIA said, changing the subject. 

"It was the right move," Elisabet said. "You're...you're okay with the two of us, right?"

GAIA snickered into her Focus. "I am not jealous, if that is what you are asking me, Elisabet. What you have with her is physical and present. I am grateful that you have it."

"You know I don't value what we have any less, right?"

GAIA laughed softly. "If your biometrics are to be believed, you enjoy both equally."

Elisabet flushed a bright red, sinking her face into her shirt. "Oh my god, GAIA."

"That is indeed what you said a few nights ago," GAIA responded smugly.

The two continued their banter, Elisabet letting the conversation ebb and flow. It calmed her, even if GAIA seemed dead set on embarrassing the living hell out of her--but she understood the reason for such a change in tone. She could tell the AI was attempting to distract her from worrying over the girl, who remained out of range of GAIA's ever-watchful presence. They talked for what seemed like over an hour until Elisabet finally asked, "How long is this supposed to take?"

"Estimates based on Aloy's previous Focus recordings indicate it could take her a few hours to thoroughly investigate the Cauldron, depending on size and degree of decay."

"Will you keep an eye out if I grab a nap in the shade?" Elisabet asked. 

"I will always watch out for you, Elisabet." 

\------

"Elisabet, wake up!" GAIA practically screamed in her ear.

The jolt of adrenaline instantly flooded Elisabet's gut, sending a shock of fear through her. She'd never heard GAIA sound so terrified before, not even in the face of global extinction.

Elisabet rubbed her eyes, glancing instinctively toward the Cauldron where she saw the silhouette of the girl, hunched and stumbling, approaching her. Something was wrong. Terribly, terribly, wrong.

The older woman dashed forward, running to meet the girl. "Aloy?" she called. "Aloy!"

By the time she reached the figure, Aloy was on her knees, slumping to the ground. What Elisabet saw horrified her: the girl's right half was already bruising, her face, arms, and presumably the rest quickly taking on a sick purpled patchwork of shapes. But something was off. Her clothes on the right side seemed...darker than they had before. And it was only in the next second of evaluating the sight before her that Elisabet understood. Three painfully deep claw marks had cut along the girl's side, just between her ribs and her hips. 

Elisabet immediately reached out, pressing her palm to the wound to attempt to staunch the flow, but instead the girl's life gushed between her fingers with every heartbeat, coating her hand in an awful, deep red-black.

Aloy's blood.

_Her_ blood.

_Sobeck blood._

"GAIA, what the _fuck_ happened?" she yelled, voice cracking, heart pounding in her chest.

"I could not monitor events inside the Cauldron," GAIA reminded. "We will figure it out later. We must get her back to Meridian, Elisabet. Her Focus indicates her wounds are deep and she is bleeding out."

"Yeah, I can fucking see that," Elisabet seethed. Fuck, fuck, fuck. She needed to get Aloy out of here. She immediately scrambled for the small pack of supplies they'd brought, finding a length of gauzy bandage that the girl had brought just in case. She wrapped it tightly around the huntress' middle, pulling and knotting it hard to apply pressure to the wound. The girl screamed as pain shot through her, echoing out in the small valley they were in. 

"I'm so sorry," Elisabet whispered to her. "You with me, Aloy?"

The girl only groaned, her pale skin even whiter than usual, no words to be found. Not good. 

"GAIA, help me here. I don't think I can get her back myself. I don't know the way well enough! Jesus fuck, there's blood everywhere. I think she's going into shock. Fuck. Fuck!" Her mind was swimming in terror, but she had to hold it together enough to get Aloy back. Had to stay in control. 

"I am overriding the strider you rode in," GAIA confirmed. "I will disable safety settings so that it can run at above typical top speed. I will navigate, just get her on the machine and hold her tight," the AI commanded. "We are not letting our daughter die today," she said, and for the first time, Elisabet heard GAIA's voice crack.

The strider trotted over, bending its legs low and laying down so that Elisabet could mount the girl's near-lifeless body on it. She was heavy with all of her armor, but the older woman knew if she didn't succeed, things would only end in death.

She shook her head and willed her muscles to work harder than perhaps they ever had, eventually dragging the girl up into a position where she could fit both of them on the strider. Aloy was in front, head lolling forward while Elisabet sat behind her, one arm wrapped around the girl's chest and the other putting as much pressure on the bandaged area as possible, the gauze already soaked a deep crimson. Aloy moaned in response to the force of Elisabet's palm and the older woman simply squeezed the girl's hand, hoping she would understand. 

The strider rose, Elisabet working hard to keep the balance of two people on its back. "Let's go, GAIA!" she urged.

The machine took off at a pace Elisabet doubted a natural horse could have maintained for very long, but she was grateful it was possible all the same. Minutes passed in slow motion, the older woman trying to mentally will the strider to get there even faster. Her hands were soaked in blood and she could feel the warm gush of it where her torso met Aloy's. It gave her a nauseating feeling, a terror that seemed to well up from every organ, from her very bones.

Before she could even ask GAIA what their next move was, she heard the AI's voice in her ear. "I have contacted Erend, Avad, and Vanasha. Erend will meet you at the city gates. The Sun-King has given permission for Aloy to be treated by the royal healers in the palace. My records indicate that as far as medical knowledge in the area goes, they are some of the best." Elisabet could tell GAIA was trying to remain calm, for her sake, but there was a tinge at the end of her words that chilled her. A deep fear that they both shared.

"She needs blood," Elisabet said, "and even if these people are the best we have, I doubt they've got a blood bank on standby."

There was a pause. "Elisabet, I believe I can come up with schematics for a direct transfusion set up. You are a perfect match. Would you like me to contact Petra and ask if this is within her ability to craft?"

"Do it," Elisabet commanded, knowing she'd give every last drop if it meant the girl lived. "Call Talanah, too. She'll want to know."

Aloy moaned again, seemingly having regained temporary consciousness. "...Hurts," she said, gritting her teeth. Elisabet reached two fingers up to the girl's carotid, noting that the usually forceful rhythm there now felt more sickly and slowed as her blood soaked them both. 

"Hang on, baby girl," Elisabet soothed, pressing her palm harder into the girl's side.

The scream that followed was more than she could bear.

\------

"Give her to me!" Erend shouted, taking Aloy in his arms. Everything was a flurry of activity and Elisabet felt like she was drowning, her heart thudding so harshly in her ears that she wavered, vision going black at the edges. 

"Elisabet," GAIA coaxed, concern lacing her voice. "Elisabet, stay with me."

Elisabet shook her head and instinctively moved to tuck the hair behind her ears, finding the braids instead. Instantly, her eyes welled with tears. She had only just gotten the girl and she refused to lose her now.

Erend rushed forward with Aloy's limp body in tow, Elisabet dashing after. They jogged up the palace steps beyond the usual onlookers and royals, ignoring the stares and gasps. A guard opened one of the palace doors for them and Erend guided Elisabet through a maze of corridors until happening upon a wing that looked decidedly medical in nature. "She's here!" he yelled and the door opened for him, a team of healers in red robes surrounding a bed with white sheets. 

Avad and Vanasha stood to the side, out of the way while Erend lowered Aloy's body onto the bed. "You may want to leave," the lead healer said. "You may not like what you see or hear," he warned. 

"She is my goddamn _daughter,_ " Elisabet retorted in a mix of anger and fear, "and I am _not_ leaving her."

The lead healer nodded solemnly and returned to the others circling the bed. They quickly disrobed the girl, eager to assess the damage. What Elisabet saw made her nearly dry heave. Aloy's body was black and blue all the way down her right side, some of the worst bruising right over her ribcage. As they unwrapped the now-soaked bandage Elisabet had applied, a gush of deep red-black blood ran in rivulets over the huntress' stomach.

Erend turned away, a green pallor on his skin, "I can't watch this," he said. "N-not after Ersa..."

Vanasha took him by the arm and led him out of the room, nodding to Avad as she did so. "Come, your Radiance," she said in the King's direction. She took one last look at Aloy's broken body, a hard grimace across her face. Avad joined them, his look toward Elisabet full of sorrow.

The healers pulled needles and silken sutures from their supplies, washing everything with what smelled like witch hazel to disinfect. "We cannot sedate her," the lead healer warned. "Not with so much blood lost."

"I am here," GAIA whispered to Elisabet, as if she could put a hand on her shoulder to provide comfort. She nodded, jaw set against what was to come. Aloy's eyes rolled as she faded in and out of consciousness, her skin sickly and covered in a sheen of sweat. 

The healers applied cloths soaked in various alcohols to the girl's wounds to clean them, causing her to scream. It struck something deep in Elisabet's chest, hurting her in a way few things in her life ever had. She walked to the side of the bed, perching on the edge of it while she took Aloy's hand in her own. She tried to maintain a facade of calm, as if she could transmit it through touch to the girl. 

"We have to stitch the wounds," the lead healer said. "If you're going to be there, hold her steady."

Elisabet nodded and the healers began their work. Aloy writhed and screamed, her throat arcing, the sound raw and animal-like. "I've got you," Elisabet said to the girl, kissing her forehead. "I'm here."

"I am with you, Aloy," GAIA whispered into the girl's Focus, still on her temple. "I will never leave you again."

The suturing continued and Elisabet kept her grip firm on the girl to prevent her from moving. Aloy alternated in and out of lucidity, tears pouring down her cheeks in pain while she clasped the older woman's hand so tightly she felt it might break. As the healers progressed, the girl bared her teeth, the sounds escaping her more feral sounding than Elisabet expected. A low whine cracked from her throat, her breaths pained and shallow. Blood continued to pool along the girl's side, until her eyes suddenly snapped open in a moment of consciousness. They were red and glassy, and quickly squeezed shut as another round of sutures went in. 

_"Mother, please!"_ she begged Elisabet. "Make it stop!"

_Mother._ For perhaps the first time, Aloy had truly given her the title and to hear it cried out now was nothing short of heartbreaking. It was like someone had cracked the woman's chest open and filled it with grief. Amid the scream, Elisabet swore she could hear GAIA cry in her Focus--another unfortunate first. "I'm so sorry, baby," she croaked back. "God, I'm so sorry." She stroked the girl's hair back, allowing her fingertips to trace along the deep purple bruises on Aloy's face and neck.

After all, this was her doing. Her system's doing. Something in that Cauldron had hurt her, and no matter how hard she wished otherwise, she couldn't shake the guilt she felt.

The healers finished, quickly bandaging the girl and giving her a thin cotton gown, switching out the sheets soaked in blood for something clean. "Here," one of them said to Elisabet. He held out a small vial. "It will sedate heavily and relieve pain. We have done all we can. If she survives the night, give her this at first light to aid in her recovery." Elisabet nodded, but the healer paused. "...If you give it to your daughter now, it will ease her passing and make it quick. I'm sorry."

Make it quick?

Elisabet felt like she'd been gut punched. Had the healer really just suggested euthanasia? Shit. Her hands trembled. This was bad. The healers left, solemn and silent. Aloy laid silent and unmoving, fatigue and pain finally taking their toll.

"GAIA, give me the stats," Elisabet said, worn and weary. She hadn't let herself break, not completely. Not just yet.

"I do not think that would be wise," GAIA responded quietly, a resignation in her voice. Now that everyone had left, the AI's projection filled Elisabet's view. GAIA's dress was black, her eyes red with trails of streaky tears down her face. The redhead had no doubt that the AI's appearance accurately reflected how she felt. GAIA approached, throwing her arms around Elisabet's shoulders as she wept.

Elisabet's lip trembled, her eyes tightly shut against GAIA's ethereal embrace. "What are we gonna do, GAIA?" Elisabet whispered, voice and eyes hollow, fixated on Aloy's unmoving form in the bed, the vial still in her hand. She knew there was no answer to the question. It hadn't been anything more than rhetorical anyway. 

Suddenly the door jolted open, GAIA ending her projection and Petra and Talanah quickly entering. 

"You said you needed some quick handiwork, but what exactly happen--oh. Oh, no," Petra stammered. "Flame-Hair...by the forge...what...what happened?" GAIA suddenly chimed in to her Focus, giving the Oseram as much information as she had. While she did, Petra wrapped her arms around Elisabet, pulling the woman close to her. The redhead's shoulders shook as she sobbed. Petra remained silent and grim.

Talanah rushed to Aloy's side, her hands clasping one of the girl's. "Hang on, little Thrush," she said quietly. "Please." The Sun-Hawk placed a soft kiss on the huntress' lips though the only response she received was an unnerving stillness. She pressed her ear to the girl's chest hoping to hear the steady strength she'd felt pound against her chest just last night but all she heard was sluggish and weak. It made her stomach drop. "We have to do something!" she exclaimed, fear seeping into her. Just the previous night, she'd had the most wonderful moment with Aloy and now it made her sick to consider it might have been the last.

"Tell me how to get this working," Petra said. 

The Oseram woman and Elisabet set up the intravenous device, GAIA helping by scanning Aloy for a good vein. "You've got steady hands, Petra. I trust you," the redhead said, allowing the woman to insert the needle into the girl's arm. She performed better than Elisabet could have hoped and quickly turned to do the same for the older woman. "This will make her better, right?" Petra asked. "Your blood is her blood?"

"God, I hope it helps," Elisabet sighed. 

The needle stung as it entered her arm, not as thin or delicate as the ones she'd had in her time, but workable nonetheless. Red-black flowed immediately through the clear tubing, carrying over into Aloy's limp form.

Talanah's eyes went wide, watching the blood flow from one to the other. "By the Sun, I have seen a mother give life, but never like this," she gasped.

Elisabet looked to the Oseram woman. "Thank you, Petra," she said. "If you...if you hadn't been able...I-she-she--"

"Don't even think it," Petra said, clasping Elisabet's hand. "That girl's stronger than steel. If anyone can survive this, she can."

Talanah stayed kneeled at Aloy's bedside, gently brushing the girl's hair back, tears glittering down though she did her best to hide it. 

The three remained in silence for some time. Elisabet sat in a chair near Aloy's bed while Talanah remained on the opposite side. Petra leaned her weight against the wall near the chair the redhead occupied, allowing Elisabet to occasionally rest her head on the woman's hip. GAIA had been eerily quiet.

"You two should go," Elisabet offered. "This could take awhile." The drip Petra had rigged up worked, but it was definitely not as efficient as Elisabet was used to. 

"We're not leaving you," Petra said.

"Or her," Talanah added.

Suddenly GAIA's projection appeared before all of them. "Thank you Petra. Talanah. Your presence today has been invaluable to Elisabet and I. Unfortunately, there is nothing more any of us can do but wait and see. I will contact you if anything changes with Aloy."

"You're sure?" Petra asked.

"I am," Elisabet said. "Thank you. Really."

Talanah looked like she was ready to object, but she knew the sort of tired sadness on Elisabet's face. The same way she'd felt after the deaths of her father and brother. She knew what it was to need the time to break.

"I'll be back later," the Oseram promised. "And I'll bring Talanah too."

The two padded softly out of the door, making an effort to close it as quietly as possible.

"Thanks for running interference, GAIA. I just...can't anymore."

"I know, Elisabet. The hurt is too great," the AI said, her projection appearing wrapped in black once again.

"You listening to her, GAIA?" Elisabet asked.

"Always."

"How's she sound?"

"Hurt badly," GAIA replied. "But pulse and blood pressure are very slowly improving thanks to you. Scans show bruised ribs, lacerations, deep tissue contusions."

"God, please tell me she's unconscious at least."

"She is," GAIA said, her projection sitting on the edge of the bed, hand cupping Aloy's black and blue face. 

"I...I don't know what I'm going to do if she doesn't...if she--" Elisabet began, but the sound died in her throat as she finally let herself break the way her insides had screamed to do for hours. She cried in a quiet, choking manner for several minutes, until her vision started to blacken and fuzz. 

Suddenly GAIA was kneeling before her. "You have given enough, Elisabet," she said, indicating the IV still in her arm. "You look pale."

"Little more," she muttered, cheeks salty with dried tears. 

"Elisabet, it will do Aloy no good if you faint."

Elisabet looked at her ruefully, reluctantly pulling the needle from her arm, bending at the elbow to stop the bleeding.

"I would have given her all of it," the redhead said, quiet and vacant.

"I know, Elisabet. I know."

\------

"You should rest," GAIA insisted.

"Can't," the redhead whispered in return.

Elisabet laid on her side on the left side of the bed, the crook of her arm bandaged. She'd cleaned up and changed out of her bloodstained clothes some hours ago--GAIA having called in a favor with Vanasha to find something she could sleep in without going back to the apartment. The vial given to her earlier remained sealed on the shelf nearby, Elisabet too afraid to use it until the girl improved more. 

Aloy laid in the same unmoving position she'd been in since earlier that evening, silent but for the occasional moan that escaped her. 

"Shh, baby," Elisabet soothed. Every time she thought she couldn't hold any more grief, it came crashing back in waves. This girl, this part of her, this child who had only recently come to be her own--the knowledge that she might die was more than she could bear. Her fingertips rested gently at the top of the girl's chest, just below her collarbone, careful not to put any real weight on her, just enough to feel the shallow, pained, up and down each time Aloy took a breath. 

She knew, objectively, that GAIA was doing the same through the girl's Focus. That she could also. But she needed to know. Needed to feel the tactile sensation of life--that it was still there at all. Elisabet glanced down, only to see a translucent arm wrapped around her middle. She looked back to find GAIA's projection curled against her body, holding on as if it anchored them both. 

"I am scared, Elisabet."

_"Me too, GAIA. Me too."_


	9. The Daemon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took awhile. I was pretty sick and stuck in bed for several days and then I got distracted by what may or may not be a more concerning health scare. 
> 
> So uh, I'm kind of nervous. Please send good vibes since I'm, like, dying of anxiety over it. I don't really want to discuss more until I know what the situation is but I felt I owed it to my audience to explain my tardiness.
> 
> I'm sorry.

Elisabet Sobeck hadn't slept in two days. 

She had barely moved from Aloy's side, leaving only to get the most basic necessities despite GAIA pleading with her to rest. 

"I am scanning for more data on the attack with MINERVA's aid. As soon as I find a viable explanation for what happened in there you will have it, Elisabet. Please, please, sleep," she begged. "I hate seeing Aloy in pain but seeing you suffer as well...." she said, drifting off. Her hand caressed the side of the woman's cheek. Elisabet's eyes were dark and reddened from crying and keeping vigil but she leaned in to the holographic touch all the same. 

"I can't sleep," Elisabet whispered. "I just--I can't...every time I so much as close my eyes all I can think of is all the dying. All the people who've died for this system I created. And if Aloy ends up being one of them I'll never forgive myself," she said, implication clear. "I have to be here, GAIA. I have to."

Elisabet put her head in her heads and leaned forward on the chair, still feeling powerless while GAIA's projection dissolved next to her. At least Aloy had stabilized enough to take the medicines the healers had left--that was some mercy. The girl's right half was a sickening black and blue save for the bandages that covered from her lower ribs to just above her hips, her fragile form still wearing nothing more than the thin Carja cotton gown. 

There was a knock on the door before Talanah and Petra gently made their way in. Petra had kept to her word to return repeatedly, the two coming and going every few hours. Each time, Petra attempted to get Elisabet to sleep, only to be met with the redhead's stubbornness. 

"Hey Lis," Petra said, sadly. 

Elisabet said nothing but grabbed for Petra's hand, holding as if it were a lifeline. The Oseram woman wrapped her arms around Elisabet's shoulders from behind. The redhead nuzzled her face into Petra's neck, seeking the warmth there.

Talanah immediately made for the side of Aloy's bed, where she took up her usual spot across from Elisabet. She grasped Aloy's limp hand firmly, pressing a kiss along the girl's black and blue knuckles. She gently brushed her fingertips along Aloy's jaw, until finding the pulse in her neck, reassuring herself that it was still there, still constant. "Hey there, little Thrush," she whispered. "I'm here."

Aloy's face screwed up with pain in her sleep, a small moan escaping her. Talanah grimaced, worry etched into her face. She, too, looked more fragile lately, forgoing her usual hunter's armor for something that felt more decidedly soft in nature. Soft in the way she wished to be for Aloy, a comfortable embrace waiting for her to wake.

The Oseram could feel the fatigued weight of the redhead against her skin. "Come on, Lis, please," Petra began, "you need to rest."

Elisabet began to resist her, as she had the last two days, but her eyes fluttered despite her protests. Shit. God, she missed coffee. Caffeine. Almost even missed the stims she'd taken while working on Zero Dawn. The kind that would let her feel bulletproof and focused for a few days. The kind that let her rise above weak human foibles like _sleep_. 

"I'll be with her," Talanah volunteered. "As will GAIA, I'm sure." The Sun-Hawk rubbed circles into the back of the girl's hand, but whether for her own comfort or Aloy's, she wasn't sure anymore. 

"No...I--I can't," Elisabet started, but her weight faltered into Petra's arms. 

"That's it," Petra declared. "Let's go," she said. The Oseram woman rose, pulling Elisabet up from her chair easily with a grip and strength solidified from years working the forge. Elisabet allowed herself to accept the motion, unable to fight against the pull of sleep any longer. Petra tucked her arm around Elisabet's waist, supporting her more than the redhead would ever admit. 

"Thanks, Talanah," Elisabet offered weakly. "I won't be gone for more than a couple hours."

\------

Petra led Elisabet through the winding streets of Meridian back to the Oseram's rented apartment. Elisabet was grateful they were headed there rather than her home with Aloy. She didn't need to see all of the girl's things strewn about to remind her of exactly what had gone wrong. She leaned heavily into the other woman, letting herself be led half-asleep through the crowds. The sun blazed hot above and Elisabet realized it must have been close to midday. She'd been losing track between the stress and sleep deprivation.

The pair finally entered the cooler air of the Oseram's apartment and Elisabet had to admit her relief. The cool darkness felt like a reprieve from the anguish bearing down on her. 

"Go ahead and get cleaned up," Petra offered. Elisabet looked confused. She'd expected to just come and crash, and weren't all of her things back at her place? As if reading the thoughts building in her hazy mind, the Oseram responded, "I got some things from your apartment and brought them here...just in case I happened to succeed. Wasn't sure I'd get this far, though," she grinned. "You're a force of nature."

Elisabet gave a sad half-smile and thanked Petra, eager to get out of the outfit she'd been in for two days straight. She disappeared through the bathroom door, grateful to see a basin already filled with water. She splashed her face and quickly cleaned up, the act clearing her head ever so slightly. 

"GAIA?" she called, voice low. Last thing she wanted was for Petra to realize she hadn't stopped working. She couldn't. Not now.

"Yes, Elisabet?" came the familiar voice in her Focus.

"I just...I had a feeling. An idea. You've been looking primarily at the Cauldron and signals to and from?"

"Correct. Why, what are you thinking?"

"Broaden the search. The whole of Utah, Colorado, and Nevada, if MINERVA can manage it."

"Of course."

"And GAIA, please, keep an eye on her. If anything changes..."

"You will be the first to know. I am with her, Elisabet."

Several minutes passed while Petra waited patiently outside, biting her lip hoping that Elisabet wouldn't change her mind. When she finally exited the door, Petra felt her shoulders relax, relief flooding through her. 

"Come here," Petra urged, patting her hand on her bed. She sat on one side, beckoning the redhead toward her. Elisabet crawled over the edge of the comfortable blankets, body feeling heavier and more worn than she'd allowed herself to recognize while with Aloy. As soon as she was near, Petra pulled her in close, kissing her on the side of her head. Elisabet curled into the other woman's embrace and the Oseram held her tightly. 

Elisabet took a shuddered breath, attempting to keep her composure and failing spectacularly. Petra could feel the tension that roiled throughout the redhead's body. "She's strong," Petra whispered to her. "And she's stronger for having you, but even the best steel has to cool to be useful." 

Elisabet sighed. "I don't feel particularly strong or useful to her right now, Petra. I put her at _risk_ for my goddamn system. So many people died for it and if...if she does too...how could I ever forgive myself? She's my _fucking daughter._ How could I have let her--"

"Aloy isn't the type to need permission, Lis. She would have done this whether you were here to encourage it or not. She'd have done anything for GAIA. For us. For the world. It's just how she's made. It's how _you're_ made. Besides, she's the most capable huntress I've ever met. Whatever got the best of her in there...no one else would have fared better." 

The cool air of the stone apartment made Elisabet shiver, despite knowing it was hot outside. Petra pulled a thin blanket around the two of them, easing the other woman's head to lean against her chest. The redhead listened to the steady pounding in the Oseram's ribs, taking comfort in its permanence. In its rhythmic _thud_ that meant she was _alive,_ reassuringly so. 

Petra let her fingers trace over the braids that were still in Elisabet's hair, trailing down until she reached the small beads, gently handling them as if they were the finest jewelry. "You know what they mean?" Elisabet asked.

"I do," Petra answered softly, understandingly. "Met a few Nora in my time. None like Aloy, though--she's claimed you. And I'm sure you know how much that means to her."

"She-she called me 'Mother' for the first time when they were sewing her up. She begged me to make it stop, Petra. Begged me. And I couldn't do anything to help her. Just like I couldn't help her in the Cauldron in the first place. I just--I--" she began, chest starting to heave, "I love her so _fucking much_ and I can't stand this. I watched a world die and somehow I made it through, but with her? I'm weak."

Petra took Elisabet's jaw in her hand, bringing her eyes near level with the other woman. "You are anything but," she said, swallowing thickly. "You hear me?" She wiped away a tear from the redhead's eye before kissing her hard, the anguish between them palpable. A low cry cracked from Elisabet's throat and before she knew it, Petra's hand was at the back of her neck, enveloping her in the only space she'd felt safe for days--the only thing save for GAIA's voice that had allowed her to let her guard down.

"I need you to say it," Elisabet rasped. 

"Say what?"

"I need you to...to say she'll be okay. Please, god, Petra. Please just say it."

Petra adjusted so the redhead could nestle herself back into the crook of the woman's neck and chest, where she kissed the throb in the Oseram's throat, desperate for anything that would push away the feeling of death that permeated her insides.

"She'll be okay, Lis," she said, breathing deeply. "Hammer to steel, one way or another."

Elisabet let her weight sink into Petra as the darkness crept in.

\------

Elisabet's eyes cracked open slowly. 

How many hours had it been? 

She expected to be greeted with the disappointment of an empty bed but instead found relief when she realized Petra was still there, though it appeared she'd been awake for some time. The Oseram gently carded her fingers through the strands of red. 

"You needed that," Petra said quietly, kissing Elisabet on the cheek.

"I did. I'm sorry I fought you so hard on it."

"You wouldn't be you if you hadn't."

Petra kissed her softly and repeatedly, as if each infused the other woman with just a little more life than the moment before, as if she could help wake Elisabet from the nightmare she now faced. The redhead's eyes lit up just the slightest bit, kissing Petra back and taking comfort in the motions.

Elisabet allowed herself to take the slightest enjoyment, body tense and in need of relief--the first thing that had felt good in days. Petra breathed softly against her, tempo picking up. 

"You're sure?" Petra asked, tentatively.

"I could use the distraction," Elisabet breathed, leaning in to kiss her again but harder this time.

Suddenly, Elisabet heard the familiar cadence of GAIA's voice in her ear.

"Forgive the intrusion, Elisabet, but I promised to keep you informed."

Elisabet froze. 

"What happened, GAIA?"

"She appears to be developing a fever."

"Shit. Infection?"

"With the Focus' limited scanning abilities I cannot tell unless it is examined in person. I have not yet said anything to Talanah but I believe she is figuring it out herself. I wanted you to be the first I contacted. Please, Elisabet. Hurry back. Remove her bandages and examine the wounds. I cannot stand not being able to do it myself."

"Something's wrong," Petra said, seeing the distant look in Elisabet's eyes.

"Aloy," Elisabet replied, voice cracking.

"Then let's go."

\------

Elisabet practically sprinted back to the palace's medical halls with Petra, slowing only when opening the door so as to not disturb the girl. The older woman could hear words being uttered in a reverent fashion as she entered, recognizing in a few seconds that Talanah's head was bowed and the back of her hand rested on the sleeping huntress' forehead, clearly feeling her rising temperature. Elisabet raised an eyebrow, realizing the dark haired woman was praying. As much as every fiber in her body wanted to rush forward, she forced herself to pause, straining to listen from the doorway:

"Oh great Sun, make treaty with the Moon to give our honored one strength. Furnish her with the armor of your brazen heat, and spare her from pain and sickness. Give her shafts of sunlight for spears with which to fight this battle. Illuminate her path back to us, Aloy, Thrush of the Hunters Lodge, respected warrior, machine rider. Aloy, Despite the Nora, my cherished one. Aloy Sobeck, beloved daughter. Please, oh Sun...please do not take her from me."

The words resounded down into Elisabet's still-exhausted bones, giving her more comfort than she would have expected. She'd never been religious, really, but at this point she'd take anything if it helped Aloy. The redhead cleared her throat so as to announced herself to Talanah without embarrassing her. 

Talanah turned her head to address Elisabet and Petra, showing no hesitation from her earlier prayer.

"GAIA called you?" the Sun-Hawk asked.

"You knew?"

"I figured she could tell what I could. Aloy has a low fever that's building, but I'm not sure why. The palace healers are known for their good work and keeping infection down," Talanah mused, half to herself. "They're the best in the Sundom."

"Do you mind if I take a look?" Elisabet asked, gesturing to the girl.

Talanah backed away, sitting nearby with Petra. Elisabet lifted the cotton gown to peel away the bandages from Aloy's midsection until the wounds were in plain sight. The neat stitching remained intact and the deep cuts appeared to be healing surprisingly well, but what Elisabet saw next had her gasping.

"GAIA, are you seeing this through my Focus?"

"Yes, Elisabet, but it is not registering as any known ailment that ELEUTHIA can identify," the AI said with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

Angry, purple lines seemed to stream out from the wound, following the girl's veins and capillaries. Elisabet would have sworn it looked like infection but for the strange color. 

"What is it, Lis?" Petra asked, feeling the heavy silence in the room.

"Take a look at this, both of you."

Petra and Talanah bent low to examine, both of their faces taking on a deadly serious demeanor.

"It almost looks like the kind of sickness that comes with extreme exposure to Corruption and Metalburn," Petra remarked. "But that usually looks red...and with HADES gone, wouldn't the Corruption be as well?"

"Is there a cure?" Elisabet asked, chest tight.

Petra nodded. "Corruption Glaze Root, normally. But for whatever this is? I'm not sure."

Talanah traced one of the lines with her finger, "I've heard of this before--I think."

Elisabet spun to face her. "You have? Where?"

"From Aloy as well as the Banuk hunters that have since come through these lands and to the Lodge, looking for a challenge. It looks like the same color that engulfed the glinthawks that day near the city gates--you remember. But I've never heard of it being spread to flesh before like Corruption can--only the machines."

"What is it?" Petra asked, worry etched into her.

"The Daemon."

\------

It came in flashes of light and shadow, the familiar triangular circuitry of a Cauldron though hazy and unclear with pain and memory. Something hadn't felt right, as if the entire structure waited, ready, coiled, primed to strike. It was eerily quiet and empty as she looked for anything that could possibly lead them to more information. She felt a chill, a bead of sweat at her back that had nothing to do with temperature, but what had she seen? She tried to squint into the dark abyss of the dreamscape before she heard the scream that woke her.

Aloy blinked heavily, eyes bleary, searching for the source of the sound only to realize it must have been her.

Elisabet bent over the girl's frame, looking exhausted and worried. She brushed aside hair plastered to the girl's sweat-drenched forehead, and Aloy could see how bloodshot the older woman's eyes were. The edges were blurred, and everything seemed painfully bright. How long had she been here? She tried to move and suddenly her side flared with a burning pain that ripped through her, another yelp escaping her throat.

"Mother?" she croaked quietly.

"Hey," Elisabet said, trying to force a smile for the girl, "I'm here kiddo."

"Is it...okay I called you that?" Aloy mumbled.

"Of course it is," she replied. "You're mine." Elisabet chuckled despite herself, kissing the girl on the forehead. Damn. She was starting to burn up. It was low for now but the older woman had a sinking suspicion it wouldn't stay that way. 

Aloy's eyes lolled about sluggishly, unfocused and sick. "Where's GAIA?" she asked with a slight whine, forgetting for a moment that she was everywhere--and nowhere. Immediately, her Focus sprang to life, the AI appearing sitting beside her on the bed in her default green. 

"I am always with you, Aloy," GAIA said soothingly. Her projected hand appeared to rest on the girl's good shoulder and the huntress leaned into it despite knowing there was nothing to touch. 

"Everything...hurts," Aloy breathed. 

Talanah winced, knowing there was little she could do, but she lightly ran her thumb over the girl's bruised hand anyway, offering what small comfort she could. 

"You're here..." Aloy sighed, looking at the Sun-Hawk. 

Talanah's eyes glistened, trying to hold back the anguish she felt. "Of course I am. You still owe me a hunt, okay? So you've got to stay with us."

"...Stay?" Aloy responded slowly. It was dawning on her that must have nearly died. Or might still be dying. She swallowed heavily, a tear trailing down her bruised and battered cheek. She hissed before licking at her bloodied lips. Maybe this is what death felt like. Her eyes fluttered. Everything burned and ached. Her body felt heavy and stiff and hot and cold all at once. She shivered but the motion sent another groan out of her.

"Hey baby girl, listen to Talanah. Stay with us. We need to know what happened in that Cauldron. What hurt you?" Elisabet asked hurriedly, realizing there might not be much time until the girl passed out again.

Aloy's eyebrows knitted together and her eyes closed, trying to remember. It was so hazy and indistinct. "...Machine. Big. Not like anything I've seen before..." she uttered.

"A new model?" GAIA asked. 

The girl nodded ever so slightly, knowing that any more motion would only add to her pain. "It was quiet inside...I don't...I don't remember it all...it was dark and then..I..." the huntress said, beginning to cry as she squeezed the tears from her closed eyes. Her grip on Talanah's hand tightened almost painfully, but the Sun-Hawk didn't dare complain--she was relieved Aloy could even hold her hand that hard.

"I searched and...found nothing," Aloy gasped. "Like it had been shut down." She gritted her teeth against the ache in her side. "...Mother," she groaned, " _please._ "

"I'll get you some herbs for the pain, little Thrush," Talanah said, voice raw with emotion. She turned to Elisabet, "I'll get some Corruption Glaze Root too. I'm not sure if it will work, but it's worth trying if this is somehow related to HADES' Corruption." She kissed the back of the girl's hand before quickly exiting. 

"I'll go with her, Lis," Petra offered. "You two could use some time with her...while she's still awake." She bent down near the bed and gave the girl a gentle pat on her good leg. "You've got this, Flame-Hair."

GAIA nodded her thanks, appreciative that the Oseram would give them the moment they so desperately wanted with Aloy. Petra exited quickly, a troubled look on her face. The Nora didn't look good, she decided, and fear seeped into her core. Fear for the girl's life--and for Elisabet's sanity should she die.

Aloy's eyes cracked back open, glassy with fever. "...Stay with me?" she asked, hopefully. 

"Of course," Elisabet whispered.

"Always," GAIA said.

Elisabet crawled up the opposite side of the bed across from the AI's projection, holding the girl's bruised right hand. The huntress seemed unsatisfied with so little contact when all she craved was healing touch. Some sensation other than the burn and throb of her wounds. She tugged at Elisabet's arm, motioning to pull her down to her side, which Elisabet easily obliged. Aloy attempted to roll on her side to take her usual place in the crook of the older woman's shoulder, but almost instantly she screamed, her hazy, sick mind forgetting the slashes and ache residing there.

"Don't hurt yourself, kiddo," Elisabet urged sadly. 

"But--I...I needed to..." the girl slurred. It was clear exhaustion was winning out even after such brief lucidity. Her sentence trailed off, unable to piece together the words.

"It's okay," Elisabet soothed, understanding. Elisabet instead turned on her side and lightly placed her arm around the girl's chest in a sort of half-embrace, careful not to lean much weight on her. "See?"

The girl fussed, hissing with every movement. "I can't...I just wanted--" she began, but her face screwed up against the rippling agony that crawled through her, leaving a sick feeling in its wake. It was more than pain. That much she'd handled before. But this felt...wrong. Like her insides were knotted up, the life being choked out of her from the inside out.

"What do you need?" Elisabet asked, but the moment seemed gone, the girl falling into some sort of half-asleep trance once again, body tense, her skin clammy and hot against the older woman, breath shallow and pained.

"You, I suspect," GAIA volunteered. "But I will not let her be deprived when it brings her so much comfort." The redhead heard the sound of her own pulse through her Focus, realizing GAIA was letting her listen to the audio she was sending the girl. Within seconds, Aloy's brows seemed to relax, breathing in deeply. She shivered with chills, and Elisabet found herself filled with anxiety, watching this younger version of herself writhe and suffer.

"I hate this," Elisabet muttered into her Focus for GAIA to hear. "I can feel sickness radiating off of her." Suddenly, she felt Aloy sleepily grasp the arm she had thrown over the girl's chest, grip desperate and clearly seeking to find any relief possible. Elisabet didn't dare back away, letting the girl take whatever she needed.

"I know, Elisabet. It pains me as well to see her like this," the AI replied, her position suddenly mirroring Elisabet's own, now lying next to Aloy's other side, her own arm appearing to wrap around the older woman's. "I can feel the heat on her skin," GAIA said, simulating Elisabet's position. 

Elisabet kissed the girl's flushed, hot cheek. "We're going to get you better, baby girl," she whispered. 

Aloy moaned softly in her sleep and Elisabet swore she felt her heart leap into her throat, a deep ache settling into her chest. GAIA's eyes locked with hers, an unspoken confirmation that she felt the same.

They would make this right.

They had to.

\------

"Elisabet, I believe I have found something."

The redhead's head snapped up, dark circles under her eyes. Two days had passed since discovering the brutal purple tendrils that crawled across Aloy's skin, and with each hour the girl suffered more, fever holding steady. She laid in Petra's bed, though sleep had mostly eluded her--or she had avoided it. The Oseram woman had finally convinced her to take rotating shifts with Talanah, someone always waiting at Aloy's bedside. Her heart pounded in her ribs. It was late. Or maybe early. Either way, GAIA's voice at this hour meant it was important.

Petra cracked one eye open as she felt the shift in the body next to her, protectively wrapping her arm around Elisabet's waist, the pulse in the ribs beneath her head quickening. The redhead had been on edge for days and at this point, it was all the Oseram could do to help keep her going. 

"What is it, GAIA?" Elisabet whispered into her Focus. She hadn't taken it off in days, waiting for whatever update came. 

"MINERVA's scans have revealed deeply encrypted communications, originating from areas the Carja would describe as the 'Forbidden West'. Once I broadened the search as you suggested and discovered the transmissions, I was able to follow the encryption as it bounced along the Tallnecks, many ending within a close radius to the Cauldron Aloy was attacked in. The encryption is quite sophisticated, which explains why it took so long to discover."

Elisabet frowned. "There's very few people around here technologically literate enough to send something encrypted," she said, mind racing. "So that means it was a sub-function...or Sylens. Maybe both."

"Aloy has often informed us that he is not to be trusted. That he will do anything for his own personal gain."

"GAIA, do you think he directed us to the Cauldron...knowing what was waiting?"

"I find it increasingly likely," the AI confirmed. 

"That means he's in league with HEPHAESTUS, and given what Petra and Talanah said about the infection's resemblance to Corruption and the Banuk's 'Daemonic' influence...god, GAIA...it might mean that HADES is still out there. And that it's partnered with both Sylens and HEPHAESTUS. Fuck. _Fuck._ "

"It is logical," GAIA agreed. "Aloy is the only person to have ever posed a threat to HADES and HEPHAESTUS. They would want her destroyed."

"She told me once that Sylens had been in a partnership with HADES for information before he realized its ultimate goal. I wouldn't put it past him to do it again. Aloy...said they were not on good terms after she did some digging with the Banuk. Whatever goodwill he may have offered her in the past...I think that time is over."

Elisabet swore she heard GAIA seething on the other end of the Focus, mirroring her own anger that this man may have intentionally hurt Aloy.

"I swear to god, GAIA, if he's responsible, I will _end him,_ " she asserted, chest heaving. Petra squeezed her harder, gently kissing at her neck, willing the other woman's anxiety away. 

"Talanah reports the Glaze Root has had no effect and HEPHAESTUS' poison is spreading. My readings show her fever is worsening. I...I am...terrified, Elisabet."

Elisabet swallowed thickly, the lump in her throat so palpable even Petra could feel it. 

"Ping his _fucking_ Focus until he picks up," Elisabet hissed. "We need to know if our theory is correct. Maybe...maybe somehow we can get some information out of him--some cure. _Something,_ goddammit," she cried, her voice cracking harshly. 

GAIA didn't respond. She didn't have to. 

The redhead moved to leave the bed. She had to go. Had to do something. She couldn't just lie there, trying to sleep and surely failing after what she'd heard.

"Lis, no," Petra insisted. 

"She's-she's getting _worse_ Petra, what am I... _what am I supposed to do?_ " she retorted. The Oseram couldn't see her well in the dark, but she could feel the tears beginning to form.

"Steel to my bones, there's nothing you _can_ do right now. I know you're not the type to sit back and watch--sure as Flame-Hair isn't, either. But you won't learn anything more until you hear back from this Sylens guy, right?"

"The Glaze Root isn't working," Elisabet said grimly. "GAIA just told me. Her fever's worse. I _can't stand it._ "

"Lis," Petra said, pulling the redhead close, their foreheads meeting as she stroked Elisabet's jaw. "Talanah loves her, that's why she's there--so you can occasionally rest. She'll do everything she can for that girl."

"But-"

"And that's why I'm here too," Petra confessed.

"What do you mean?" Elisabet whispered through shuddered breaths.

"Lis...I-I know I said this was some fleeting thing once but...I think I love you," Petra breathed. "And just like Talanah, I'd do anything I could for you...even when that means fighting you on this. You've barely slept the last few days and while I hate what Aloy's going through, I just, hammer to steel--I don't want to lose you too. I...know you'd die for a cause. You've done it before."

Elisabet softened. Fuck, she hadn't expected that. "Petra, I--"

"No, just listen, okay? I don't...I don't do this often. Almost never. Too easy to get hurt. But you _mean_ something to me, Lis. And I know you love Aloy like no one else. She's your blood. You feel her in your bones. But if the Glaze Root isn't working, I know she's going to need you to help figure out the solution and you're not going to do that exhausting yourself to death. No forge can burn endlessly," she breathed.

Elisabet squared her jaw, but said nothing, eyes cast down. Only her shoulders moved in time with silent sobs. Petra pulled her close, and the redhead breathed in the light wood fire and copper scent of her. Chest to chest, the Oseram could feel the pounding echo of Elisabet's fear against her. 

"We'll go first thing in the morning, all right?" Petra offered. "But tonight you stay here, with me."

Elisabet nodded into their embrace, unable to choke out the words, the ache inside her unbearable, everything from her throat down to her hips felt hollowed out, empty. All except where her skin met Petra's, grounding her back into herself. The Oseram kissed her softly, each movement sincere and sweet, imbued with all the tenderness she could muster.

Minutes passed as Petra tried to gently coax Elisabet back toward sleep, fingertips stroking along the redhead's back, working out the tense knots along her spine until she gasped, tension dissipating as she melted into the Oseram's strong arms. 

Part of her wanted so badly to run straight to Aloy, but the other part that felt so broken stayed, shutting her eyes against the other woman's skin. She breathed hotly into Petra's neck, whispering in her ear:

"I think I love you too."

\------

"You _son of a bitch,_ " she swore, turning on her heels toward the purple-hued projection of Sylens. GAIA's form stood next to her, wrapped in red. Elisabet had disregarded Aloy's earlier worries about revealing herself to the man. Right now, nothing mattered but her rage, and she wanted him to know it. She paced along the cool stone of Petra's apartment, having sent the Oseram to Aloy's bedside before taking the call. 

"Well, if it isn't Elisabet Sobeck," he smirked. "I admit, I'm impressed Aloy was right about you. I told her you were _dead._ "

"You fucking set her up!" Elisabet accused. "We found the transmissions, so it's either you or one of the sub-functions, or both. Whatever that machine in the Cauldron did to her, she's going to _die_ if we don't find a cure."

"Sounds like the savage finally learned how much I dislike people digging into my past," he said, flashing a toothy sneer. "But as much as I appreciate the loose ends being tied up, it was never actively my intention."

"Liar," Elisabet spat, and GAIA's form flared next to her.

Sylens shrugged. "I have made it clear that I serve my own interests. I knew that after Aloy discovered more about me, she would never willingly share GAIA's wealth of knowledge, so I found _alternatives._ I will not be denied."

"You are in league with my other sub-functions," GAIA asserted. "HEPHAESTUS and HADES, I suspect, given Aloy's injuries. They have found a way to combine the Corruption and Daemonic influence to infect humans."

"Oh you are quick, GAIA. I'll give you that. Yes, despite what that foolish girl thought, HADES is alive and well, but I knew it was not to be trusted. Not after it had betrayed me once before. If I was going to continue unearthing the secrets of this land, I needed to find a more _agreeable_ sub-function to deal with. One with less rage and more purity of direction. HEPHAESTUS wanted HADES for its own goals, so I handed it over in exchange for what information I desired. Whatever it asked for, I did, and oh how I was rewarded."

Elisabet's body shook with anger, her hands balled up into fists. How could he be so casual? So callous? So idiotic?

"You stupid _fuck_ you know HEPHAESTUS wants to eliminate humans! You're almost worse than Ted goddamn Faro."

"HEPHAESTUS only wants humans to stop hunting its machines. It views them as a threat to further terraforming. Surely you of all people know the value of letting humans die for the sake of the planet. Besides, once enough are dead, the point will be made. Humanity will have to stop to survive. Perhaps even reach equilibrium with their circumstances for once."

"You are a fool if you believe it will stop there, Sylens," GAIA said. "My sub-functions have a singular focus."

"You're looking for a solution," Sylens sneered. "Which means events worked just as HEPHAESTUS planned. The lure of MINERVA's location? The Cauldron? It has a...unique insight into the foolhardiness of humanity. It knew Aloy posed the greatest threat to its existence, so it sought to eliminate her. An elegant solution."

"He fucking baited us, GAIA," Elisabet growled. 

GAIA flared red, "You had better tell us how to heal this infection or you will not enjoy the consequences."

"I will do no such thing. Nor could I, even if I wanted to. What HEPHAESTUS and HADES concocted, I had no part in. I simply participated in a trade of services. I am not interested in the specifics of Aloy's life or death, only in acquiring enough knowledge to lift humanity as a whole out of the muck of ignorance. Maybe if you weren't such a _broken_ system--if you had not allowed the Nora to raise such a savage child instead of one intelligent enough to repair you--you would be complete enough to find your own antidote," he taunted.

Elisabet's chest heaved, spoiling for a fight. 

"This is your last opportunity," GAIA warned. 

"Or what? As if your directives would allow you to harm a human."

"Hers might not," Elisabet seethed, "but you forget, I created this system and I can still alter it." She brought up an interface on her Focus and began coding rapidly.

"What--what are you doing?" he yelled.

"Well since you seem to be fine letting machines kill humans, you're about to find out just how terrible that reality really is. The machines were always meant to be docile unless extreme circumstances warranted their own defense. HEPHAESTUS turned them into killers. I can't stop that. But you gave us MINERVA so any machines within a radius of its broadcast towers can be influenced."

"Do not be hasty, Elisabet."

"It's Doctor _fucking_ Sobeck to you," she roared. "And you're going to learn just how terrible a decision it was to work for HEPHAESTUS. All the aggression it added to my machines? When they identify you on sight, it will be increased tenfold."

Sylens chuckled. "Did you not think I could override them? It is trivially simple."

"Oh, I've considered it," she retorted. "And I've overridden your clearance. Only Aloy's signals work now. So the next time you see one of _my_ machines? I suggest you run. Or die trying."

"You--you're just going to let this woman alter your system like this?" Sylens said, panicking, appealing to GAIA.

The AI offered no such sympathy. "You have harmed _our daughter._ Consider yourself lucky that Elisabet has even given you the chance to _run_ rather than ending you directly. You had better hope she lives, or else I cannot guarantee what else she may send your way," GAIA threatened.

"But I--" 

GAIA ended the call. 

"Fuck," Elisabet breathed, adrenaline flooding her. "Fuck! He gave us nothing."

GAIA's brows furrowed, frowning. "We cannot give up, Elisabet. Wait...Talanah is calling. You need to go. Aloy needs you."

"Shit."

"She is dying, Elisabet."

\------

Elisabet skidded in the door, finding Talanah dabbing at Aloy's forehead and neck with a cool, damp cloth. Petra was grinding herbs in the corner, quickly attempting to mix them with water for the girl to drink.

"She's burning from the inside out," Petra said softly, not looking up from her work, lest she reveal the tears pooling in her eyes. 

"Talanah, what's going on?" Elisabet demanded.

"The Daemon's poison is spreading," the Sun-Hawk cried softly. She lifted the cotton gown gently revealing the purple tendrils that followed Aloy's veins. It had traveled further along under her skin, headed in the direction of her heart. Elisabet didn't need a medical degree to understand what would happen if it got that far. 

Talanah dipped the cloth back into the basin of cool water next to her, wringing it out and dabbing along Aloy's throat and chest. The dark-haired girl leaned close to Aloy's ear. "Stay with me," she pleaded. She repeated it like a prayer, continuing her automatic motion of re-wetting the cloth and swiping along burning skin, trying to keep Aloy's temperature down.

The girl moaned, eyes fluttering open glazed and rolling. "Mother..." she begged, but it was barely above a whisper. 

"I'm here," Elisabet said. 

Petra handed her the pain relieving mixture she'd been working on. "Have her drink this. No Glaze Root in it, since it doesn't seem to work, but it'll...make her more comfortable," she said, voice cracking.

Elisabet tilted it toward Aloy's lips, lifting the girl's head forward. The huntress dutifully sipped but could only manage a few mouthfuls. The girl tugged at Elisabet's shirt, urging the woman closer. She was covered in a sheen of sweat, sheets damp beneath her but Elisabet couldn't refuse. She willingly climbed up next to the girl, who began to turn.

"No, Aloy--"

But the girl wouldn't be refused. With extreme effort, she turned on her good side even as she yelped in pain. The girl rested her head in its usual place on Elisabet's chest. She burned against the older woman, instantly dampening her shirt. Talanah placed a cool cloth at the back of Aloy's neck, the huntress shivering violently. 

"I'm sorry," Aloy whispered through cracked lips. 

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Elisabet insisted.

"I...should have been better. Stronger. I wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"You were set up, baby--it wasn't your fault. It was fucking Sylens."

Aloy breathed heavily into Elisabet's ribs, each exhalation seemed an effort.

"I searched...so long for you. Wanted...more time," she mumbled. "Will you be here at the end?"

"What do you mean, kiddo?"

Aloy groaned with the energy required to speak. "...The...Nora...say it's sacred to...die near your mother. I-I want...you to be here when...when it happens. Listening to you makes it so easy to drift off...there are worse ways to go," she explained, weakly attempting a smirk.

Elisabet felt like she'd been gut punched.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was aware of the wailing in her Focus.

\------

Petra held her hair back while she puked the meager contents of her stomach into a bucket. She'd barely eaten in days from anxiety so it was mostly water, but it didn't seem to matter. Her body seemed determined to rid itself of anything but the dread inside her.

Elisabet had stayed with Aloy for the afternoon, ignoring the heat and sweat from the girl that had soaked her, staying until she was certain the herbs had taken effect and that she was suitably comforted. She'd only left after palace healers had insisted on moving the girl's limp body into a cool, shallow bath to help keep the fever at bay. She barely remembered exiting and coming back to Petra's apartment and she was vaguely aware that the Oseram may have carried her.

Petra dabbed at Elisabet's mouth with a clean cloth, helping to change her into sleep clothes. It wasn't terribly late, but Petra knew the other woman was tired. Steel to her bones, she was too. Tragedy in slow motion was exhausting. Elisabet was hyperventilating, any attempt to maintain composure long past her. How the fuck had she dealt with all the death at the end of the world? It was so much easier when you didn't have a personal tie, when you didn't have to watch your child dying in front of you. 

Petra held her in their shared bed, letting the redhead sob into her. "I can feel it," Elisabet breathed, completely distraught. All semblance of the cool and composed scientist gone. "I can feel her dying...as if I carried her...as if it's _in me._ "

"You're her mother no matter how it worked out," Petra said softly, "of course you can."

"There has to be something we can do," she lamented.

"Hammer to steel, I wish the Glaze Root had worked," Petra said but wasn't sure if there anything more to add. It seemed so hopeless. She placed a palm against the redhead's hip, thumb brushing gently against the bone there. She kissed at Elisabet's throat, attempting to stifle the cries there until weariness took them both.

\------

She turned her head, unsure of where she was. 

It looked like...a hospital? But surely nothing like this existed anymore. There were a few bouquets of flowers on the table next to the bed. Suddenly, she realized she had to be the patient. She was wearing a gown, after all. But what was wrong with her? She looked up to find Petra standing on one side, wearing her typical Oseram garb that seemed completely at odds with the surrounding room. To her left stood a tall, dark-skinned woman whom she immediately recognized as GAIA, but there was no translucence to her, she was as corporeal as her own body. Both women looked down at her adoringly, smiles on their faces. 

It seemed too hazy to be real. What had she been so upset about? Something tugged at her mind but she couldn't pinpoint it.

Just then, Elisabet felt an intense pain roil through her, something deep and visceral. She looked to Petra and GAIA for help but they stayed static, unwavering smiles plastered on them both. The table nearby seemed to have more flowers piled on it than a few seconds ago. Why was she here? 

More flowers.

Another wave of pain rolled through her, worse than the last. 

More flowers.

Why wasn't anyone helping her? 

She looked down at herself to find an unfamiliar swollen and rounded silhouette. But wait. This hadn't happened. She'd never done this.

More flowers.

Her back arched against the agony that ripped through her and she gave a soundless scream, clutching at her middle. This didn't make sense. This was wrong...right? She'd never been anyone's mother. 

Except that she was.

More flowers.

Something felt off. Something signaled this wasn't normal. She didn't feel eager or excited or like she was about to give anyone life. 

But she did feel something else.

Death. It was coming. And she couldn't stop it.

More flowers.

With a last, wordless scream she squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them, GAIA handed her a small bundle wrapped in white. A tuft of red hair poked out of the swaddling cloth and without a word spoken among the three, only one echoed inside her:

_Aloy._

More flowers.

But this was wrong. Wrong. WRONG.

She pushed aside the cloth to look at the newborn, but was greeted instead with a sick, bluish colored infant. Elisabet felt a cold shock of fear down her spine, her heart racing. 

She was dead.

Dead.

DEAD.

She panicked and looked to Petra and GAIA, whose faces hadn't changed. Why couldn't anyone see? Why?

More flowers, and suddenly the room was filled with them as they crushed in closer and closer, claustrophobically. Elisabet breathed faster and faster, begging the bundle to come back to life. Begging for anyone to stop this. The flowers consumed the room. Consumed GAIA. Consumed Petra. And then there was no air, only the flowers she began to choke on.

Elisabet shot up straight in bed, gasping for breath as she screamed. 

Dream. It was a dream. Fuck. Petra was next to her, palm on her back, rubbing soothing circles into her. 

"Lis, what is it?" she asked, terrified.

"I think...I think I know how to save her," Elisabet said, breathing hard, coming down from the nightmare.

"Aloy? How?"

"We have to find DEMETER."


	10. Dark Before Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, thank you all for being so kind and sending all the good vibes my way. Everything worked out and was completely fine. I'm healthy, and not dying (except in the very millennial sense of being dead inside lol).
> 
> Okay, now read and weep my internet babies.

Talanah dabbed at Aloy's skin with the cool, wet cloth. It was late and she'd been going through the same automatic motions for hours, attempting to bring the huntress any comfort she could manage, and still it didn't seem like enough. The fiery redhead burned from within, the angry purple lines crawling up her veins, slowly crossing over her lower ribs as they stalked higher and higher, choking the life from every part of her. 

The Sun-Hawk's jaw was clenched tightly, the body before her illuminated by flickering lantern light, the pale skin sickly and hot. Nothing seemed to be working, and for a moment, Talanah allowed her despair to get the best of her. She placed the cloth on the table near the bed, taking Aloy's hand in her own, her thumb circling the back of the girl's hand. 

"Don't leave me," Talanah begged softly, her head bowed. " _Please._ " 

She heard an intake of breath that made her head snap up. For the first time in several hours, Aloy appeared lucid, her eyes fixated on Talanah, though something about her gaze seemed hollow. 

"Hey you," Talanah said, trying to lighten the mood for Aloy's sake.

Aloy seemed not to notice, her hand tightening every so slightly around the Sun-Hawk's. It seemed it was all she could muster now, each breath an exertion.

"I'm...sorry," Aloy began, struggling to get each word out.

"What do you have to be sorry for?"

"I...was...I just...I hoped...I'd get to kiss you again," Aloy said, hissing through her teeth. Her brow furrowed in pain but she made an effort not to make a sound. "I'd...never felt like that before."

Talanah attempted to valiantly crack a smile for the dying girl. "You will," she promised, hoping against hope that she wouldn't be proved a liar.

Aloy took another deep breath, pulling the Carja's hand closer to her. "I'm scared," she admitted, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Not of death, but of losing everyone. I...was _outcast_ for so, so long," she said, a single hot tear dripping down the side of her face. 

"You don't want to leave GAIA and Elisabet," Talanah offered soberly.

"Or you," Aloy said, voice barely above a whisper. "Don't go," she pleaded. "I spent so long on my own...I-I don't want to be _alone_...when it happens."

"By the Sun, you're not going to die," Talanah insisted, voice cracking harshly. She shook her head. She had to believe it. Had to.

The redhead's eyes seemed to see through her, or past her. Somewhere she couldn't go. 

"Yes," Aloy said sadly, "I...am."

\------

Elisabet hadn't been able to calm down since she'd woken from her nightmare, and watching her in a whirlwind of coding interfaces and worry seemed to be all Petra could manage. There was no getting in her way, there was no encouraging her to sleep, there was no taking care of herself unless she knew she'd done everything she could to save Aloy. Petra grimaced, certain in some way that if the girl didn't live, Elisabet wouldn't either. 

Petra observed her with reverent fascination. Elisabet was a master craftswoman of the terraforming system and the builder in Petra admired her intensely. Her focus, her determination, her force of will. She really would give anything for Aloy, and the Oseram loved her all the more for it.

"GAIA, run the same lure code we used for ELEUTHIA--I'm changing a few segments to adapt for DEMETER, and...let it know how important this is. To me. To you," the redhead said, fingers tapping at the floating interface.

"Of course, Elisabet, though I must inform you that I do not have any evidence of DEMETER's location or activity. Neither MINERVA nor ELEUTHIA have been in contact with it since the unshackling event."

"I know...I know, but we have to try, right?"

"We will not give up on her," GAIA assured.

Elisabet finally broke away from the Focus' interface, turning to face Petra for the first time since she'd woken. She seemed on the verge of frenzy, unable to contain her need to do _something,_ sick of feeling helpless. The Oseram took Elisabet's hands in her own as they sat on the couch. Elisabet was cold to the touch and shaky, running on little more than adrenaline alone. She'd barely eaten, barely slept.

"Lis," Petra said softly, "what's going on? Why do you think this DEMETER can help? What does it even do? You've barely said a word to me since you woke up. Talk to me. Please."

Elisabet bit her lip, "Before we went to bed, do you remember what you said to me? How you wished the Glaze Root had worked? It got me thinking, the Glaze Root heals Corruption in humans, right?"

Petra nodded in agreement. "It does."

"And how long ago did the Corruption start? Almost twenty years ago, right? Just after HADES became unshackled."

"That's when we first encountered the pain of Metalburn," Petra confirmed. "Took a long time to find the cure. We...lost a lot of people back in those days if the poisoning was bad enough."

"Do you remember ever seeing the Glaze Root plant before the Corruption?" 

Petra thought for a moment. "Not that I can recall--and not that we needed it--hammer to steel, Lis, what're you trying to say?"

"My hypothesis is that the Glaze Root was created in response to the Corruption, like an immune response to a disease--DEMETER balancing the ecosystem. That's what it does, Petra, DEMETER controls everything regarding the flora--the plant life--on the planet. If it realized there was an imbalance and germinated the Glaze Root, my guess is that it has already started growing something to combat the Daemonic infection," she said quickly, clearly clinging to the hope she was right. "It's smart. It's adaptive. And I doubt Aloy was the very first human infected. HEPHAESTUS must have wanted to test its poison."

"So you think this sub-function will help you?" Petra asked.

"If we can find it," Elisabet sighed. "But we don't have much time. I'm...I'm fucking _terrified_ that we won't find it fast enough. She twisted a braid in her fingers, touching the beads at the bottom.

Why?

Why was this happening? 

Why did it seem like the universe itself had conspired against her? To have her survive the end of the world just to give her Aloy and then snatch her back just as quickly? It seemed cruel and unfair. And though she had always been a woman of science, she had to wonder why the cosmos seemed to take such delight in fucking her over. 

Petra seemed deep in thought. The system--GAIA--really, had controlled everything, hadn't she? Even the plants themselves.

Wait.

The plants.

Her head perked up, an idea taking hold over her. "Lis, you said this sub-function controls plants? Flowers, maybe?"

Elisabet nodded, eyes still distant. 

"And you think Glaze Root probably didn't exist prior to the Corruption? Well you know what else didn't? The metal flowers."

Elisabet's eyes locked with hers. "Metal flowers?"

Petra held her hand. "Those are _definitely_ new. Almost twenty years ago. They're rare but they can be found without too much trouble. They look like machines cast in the forge to look like flowers. And if you're looking for a sub-function machine that makes plants--"

"Petra, you're amazing," Elisabet said. "Do you know how to find them? If they were broadcasting, GAIA would already know but--"

"Let me talk to some contacts in the markets," the Oseram offered. "I might be able to get enough information to find one. Some collect for a high price. Someone will have a hunch."

"Thank you," Elisabet breathed. The air seemed to leave her lungs as her shoulders sagged with the come down of her manic high. _Finally._ Some kind of solution. Or at least a ray of hope. 

Petra gently kissed her on the forehead, trying to center her, feeling the panic just beneath the surface. The way she hid it so readily under the facsimile of scientific enthusiasm, broken and raw edges threatening to consume her. The Oseram's strong arms pulled around her tightly, Elisabet breathing her in. 

The redhead wavered, fatigue and stress weighing on her. Petra held on to the woman as if Elisabet's very life depended on it.

For all she knew, it did.

\------

Elisabet woke, eyes slowly cracking open, feeling a thin blanket around her bare body. Petra must have draped her with it. Her hands suddenly reached for the opposite side of the bed, finding an empty space where the Oseram had previously occupied it. In her place was a scrawled note, the not-quite-English script still difficult for Elisabet to make out, but doable with a little effort:

_"At the market, searching for metal flowers. Sleep, love. You need it."_

She smiled in spite of herself. Petra was always sweeping her off her feet. She slowly rose from the soft bed, grabbing her discarded clothes from the floor. The dull ache in her chest returned, reminding her of where she was and what was at stake. Petra had managed to keep her distracted for the night, but it couldn't completely erase the pain that seemed to saturate every part of her. The redhead placed her Focus back on the side of her head, resigning herself back to reality.

"GAIA, how is she?" 

"Aloy's condition continues to deteriorate," the AI responded mournfully. "Talanah has been at her side all night."

"How much time do we have?" Elisabet asked, trying to remain clinical, detached, before she inevitably cracked open once again. 

"A few days, perhaps. Not long. Her body cannot sustain this poison for long. The fever will eventually...will eventually...k-"

"--It's okay, GAIA. You don't have to say it. _Please don't say it._ "

"I apologize, Elisabet. I...have not been myself," GAIA admitted.

"How are you holding up?" the redhead asked.

"It is like feeling her birth in reverse, Elisabet. Every reading from her Focus...shows me how she suffers. How her body is shutting down. It disturbs me greatly. I feel... _shame_ that it affects me so deeply when the Swarm felt so-"

"-Impersonal," Elisabet finished.

"Precisely," GAIA agreed. 

"Well I hate to break it to you, but emotional bias is part of being human. We're flawed. And she's _ours_ so of course you feel worse about it. Goddamn, Turing really doesn't hold a candle to you anymore, does it?"

GAIA offered the smallest chuckle in response. "You should go, Elisabet. Talanah could stand to be relieved. I believe she is nearly as distraught as we are."  
\------

Elisabet slowly walked into the room, admittedly terrified to see how much worse Aloy had become. Talanah sat beside her, eyes red with dark circles underneath. It was clear she was exhausted and hurting. 

"Thank you for staying with her," Elisabet said in hushed tones. 

Talanah turned and stood, walking toward the redhead. Her confidence seemed gone. Shaken. And she suddenly appeared so much younger. Fragile. She wrapped her arms around Elisabet, softly crying. 

"Talanah," Elisabet said soothingly, "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. What happened?"

The Sun-Hawk choked on her tears, chest heaving against the older woman. "She-she woke up last night."

Elisabet couldn't hide her surprise. "What--did she say anything?"

Talanah nodded into the woman's shoulder. "She told me she didn't want to be alone when it happens. She said she's going to die."

Elisabet felt the younger woman's breath hitch and she held the Sun-Hawk tighter. She felt the need to comfort the Carja girl. "Petra and I are working on something, Talanah. Don't give up hope yet."

"I can't lose her, Elisabet."

"I know, Talanah. I can't either."

\------

Elisabet had taken Talanah's familiar position, applying the cool soaked cloths to Aloy's burning skin. The girl shivered harshly in her sleep, her skin sallow and sick. "Hang on, baby girl," the older woman urged. 

She had sent Talanah home to sleep, the Sun-Hawk worn and weary after days of keeping vigilant by Aloy's bedside. That girl really loved Aloy and Elisabet was grateful for it. "Let me listen to her, GAIA," she said.

Her Focus echoed the sluggish pulse of the dying huntress and it sickened her to hear. 

She was roused from her thoughts when Petra entered the room. "Lis," she began. 

"Find anything?"

"Steel to my bones, I did. But you're not gonna like it."

Elisabet's face screwed up. "Petra, I'll do _anything._ What is it?"

The Oseram sighed and took a seat at the edge of the bed, gently patting Aloy's shin. "Closest one isn't far, but there are known machine convoys that patrol the area. It's dangerous, Lis. You can't go. Maybe I can source a delver who would be up for the challenge but negotiating the contract could take time."

"We don't have time to wait. We've got days. Maybe."

Petra looked intently at Aloy, her hand stroking the girl's feverish cheek. "What about the Vanguard? Erend's an Oseram and friend of Flame-Hair. Ersa was his sister, right? Everyone in the Claim knew of her. And if he's made of metal half as tough as she was, he'll help. He answers to his Radiance, though. You'll need to get his permission to borrow one of his right hand men."

"Sounds like I have a Sun-King to talk to," Elisabet said. "But I'm not sending him alone. I'm going with."

"Elisabet, you can't!" Petra insisted. "Look, I don't doubt you, but just because Aloy can hunt most machines with ease doesn't mean you can. She trained her whole life for it and one still managed to get the upper hand. HEPHAESTUS is dead set on killing her, which means it probably wouldn't hesitate to kill you too."

"I'm not going to ask anyone to risk themselves if I'm not willing to do the same, Petra. It's not my style. I know I'm not some warrior. I'm not-not strong like her. But I _have to do this._ You understand, don't you?"

Petra sighed and pulled Elisabet forward, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. 

"Just come back to me, Lis. You know I lost a woman I loved once and by the forge, I'm not eager to do it again," she said, voice high and tense.

Elisabet cast her eyes upward. "You think she's tough, right?" she asked, gesturing to Aloy, the girl still valiantly clinging to life.

"Of course I do."

The redhead smirked. "Well where do you think she gets it from?"

\------

"I am sorry to hear Aloy's condition has not improved, Elisabet. Vanasha and her network have been keeping me informed. I hope you do not mind. As King, it is my duty to be aware of all the goings-on in Meridian, no matter how unpleasant," Avad said.

Elisabet attempted a bow, unsure of the exact protocol in these situations, though the mere fact that she'd been granted an audience at all was probably breaking every rule in the book. 

"Your Radiance," she began.

"There's no need for such formalities, Elisabet. Consider us friends. You are Aloy's mother and she is the Savior of Meridian. Anything I can do to help her or you is yours. And please, call me Avad."

He sat on one of the cushioned pillows spread across the lavish area behind the throne used for informal audiences, gesturing for her to do the same. She joined him readily, smiling sheepishly at his generosity.

"Now what is it you require?" Avad asked softly.

"I need your help. For Aloy. If Vanasha has told you, anything then you know my daughter is...she's dying, Avad."

"By the Sun, so I have heard," he agreed. "Vanasha's informants tell me that the Daemon's poison ravages her. That there is no cure."

"That's why I've come to you. I think there _is_ a cure. And I think I know where to find it. I need to get to one of the metal flowers to find out for sure. The nearest one is close but deep in machine territory."

"Whatever you need, it's yours," Avad said. "I must admit the promise of a cure would give me great relief. Reports have been pouring in from the furthest edges of the Sundom. The Daemonic machines--the ones of Banuk lore--like those glinthawks before, have struck. So far the attacks have been few, but they are slowly increasing in frequency. I would imagine it's only a matter of time before we hear of more people succumbing to their poison. A cure for Aloy would be a cure for my subjects. I would be greatly indebted to you."

"I need Erend to come with me," Elisabet said. "I can't do it alone and I need someone to help keep me safe while I retrieve what I need. I'm hoping the metal flowers will allow me to communicate with a sub-function that grows plants. There might be one out there similar to your Glaze Root that will work."

"Erend's services are yours for as long as you need."

"Thank you," she said breathlessly, slowly getting to her feet. 

"May the Sun light your way, Elisabet."

\------

Erend and Elisabet left at first light, the two walking in an awkward silence though the older woman couldn't help but still stare in awe at the revitalized natural world around her, verdant and lush. The sunrise alone was enough to leave her speechless. Petra had given her a thick set of Oseram-style armor to borrow, enough, she'd claimed, to keep her safe. 

After an hour or two on their feet, Erend finally cleared his throat. "I'm, uh, I'm sorry I haven't been around. I care about Aloy a lot. But after Ersa..."

"Petra told me she was a hell of a woman."

"She was."

"I'm sorry, Erend."

"It's not your fault, Elisabet. Aloy...she...she's only reason I even got to say goodbye. And I just couldn't...I couldn't watch it happen again. Helpless."

"I get it. You don't need to apologize."

A branch snapped and a high pitched whine sounded in the distance and Erend stopped dead in his tracks, his arm crossing Elisabet's chest to hold her back. 

"The fuck is that?" she hissed.

"Machines. Sounds like watchers. We alert them, and hammer to steel, they'll be the least of our problems. We're close though. Stick close to me and _do not make a sound._ "

The two silently stalked through the tall red grasses and for a moment Elisabet wondered if this kind of animalistic fear was what Aloy felt _all the time._ They continued until they reached a clearing, Elisabet's back screaming with the strain of having crouched for so long. 

"Is it safe?" she whispered.

"For now," Erend replied, eyes scanning the horizon. "but make it quick. Reports of a machine convoy don't just go unfounded. Better to get out of here as quickly as we can."

Before her laid a triangle of deep magenta flowers, too geometric in layout to be accidental. She crept forward until finding the metal pod in the center, which appeared to bloom as she approached.

"GAIA you getting this?"

"Yes, Elisabet. Your Focus scans indicate it is definitely my system's tech. I will need you to move in close to connect locally."

The woman closed in on the strange, metallic plant, letting her Focus connect. "Transmit the lure code to it, GAIA. DEMETER needs to understand why we need it."

She paused for a few minutes, looking over the readout, her brow furrowed. "GAIA...is this...what I think it is?"

_Code fragment downloaded:_

///  
[function: true]  
{{As a fond mother, when the day is o'er,}}  
{{Leads by the hand her little child to bed,}}  
{{Half willing, half reluctant to be led,}}  
{{And leave his broken playthings on the floor,}}  
{{Still gazing at them through the open door,}}  
{{Nor wholly reassured and comforted}}  
{{By promises of others in their stead,}}  
{{Which, though more splendid, may not please him more;}}  
{{So Nature deals with us, and takes away}}  
{{Our playthings one by one, and by the hand}}  
{{Leads us to rest so gently, that we go}}  
{{Scarce knowing if we wish to go or stay,}}  
{{Being too full of sleep to understand}}  
{{How far the unknown transcends the what we know.}}  
[function: true]  
/// 

"It looks like poetry, Elisabet. As if DEMETER has integrated Naoto's affection for such literature into its own coding," GAIA concurred. 

"It's...beautiful," Elisabet admitted. "Are you getting through?"

"Affirmative. DEMETER appears...mournful. It apparently never moved past the murder of its Alpha. When it became sentient, it began building these flowers. They serve dual functions as artistic expression and plant germination reserves."

"Will it help us?"

"It does appear sympathetic to our goals, especially with another life at risk. DEMETER is fond of you, Elisabet, and glad to see you have survived. It was...disturbed by the actions of HADES and then HEPHAESTUS. It does not enjoy loss of life, flora or fauna--or imbalance in the biosphere."

"Was I right? Did it create the Glaze Root?"

"You were correct, Elisabet."

The color rushed into her cheeks. Finally. A small victory.

"Did it create anything to counteract the new poison from HEPHAESTUS?"

"DEMETER reports it did, in fact, begin germination on a new plant to battle the effects. However, most of the growth is still in its infancy since the poison is relatively new, and not widespread."

"Please god, tell me there's a few samples nearby enough to collect."

"The most mature plants are north, in Banuk lands where HEPHAESTUS first made its presence known. DEMETER reports that they have the greatest efficacy. However, some seedlings are available in areas south of Meridian, in an area known to locals as The Jewel."

"Will they work?"

"Unknown at this time. DEMETER suggests they could be synthesized with Glaze Root to boost efficacy, since the poison is a fusion of both HEPHAESTUS and HADES's efforts."

"GAIA, transmit these details back to Vanasha and Avad. Get them to send someone to retrieve the seedlings. As many as they can find."

"Yes, Elisabet. DEMETER has also agreed to reintegrate. It...does not wish to see the offspring of any of the Alphas die."

"I appreciate it," the redhead said, smiling for the first time in awhile.

"Hey uh Elisabet? Hate to break up whatever you're doing, but we gotta go! Now! We've overstayed our welcome!" Erend shouted. 

Suddenly the high pitched whine of two watchers sounded, eyes red and angered, a scrapper following suit. Elisabet ducked as the nearest watcher leapt for the pair, her Focus displaying a lavender light circling it. Erend crushed its head with a strong swing from his hammer. She tried to be fast and strong like Aloy, but the next watcher was faster. It whipped its tail around, slapping hard against her back, knocking the air out of her lungs and her face into the dirt. The watcher persisted while Erend fought off the scrapper, slamming into its body and throwing it off balance.

"Elisabet!" he yelled. 

She raised her arms to block the next attack but Erend's hammer managed to come down first, tearing through the chest of the watcher, destroying the chip inside. It fell lifeless before the woman's feet while she rolled away, trying to catch her breath. Her heart was racing. Before she could recover though, the scrapper had circled, dodging Erend. He was strong, but certainly not as swift as Aloy. It swiped out, catching her just over the eye with its clawed paw. She felt the burn of her skin as it split, blood spilling over her eye. Her pulse pounded in her ears, filled with the fear that she might not make it back to Aloy. That she might not make it back to Petra.

"Run, Elisabet!" GAIA shouted in her ear. 

Erend caught up, swinging one more time, destroying the head of the scrapper and sending it flying into a heap. Erend was breathing hard, sweat trickling down his brow. He pulled the older woman up by the arm, wincing at the cut above her eye. "Fire and spit, are you okay?"

"I'll make it," she said ruefully. 

"GAIA, what the hell happened? I thought you had limited control to make them docile when in range!"

"Those machines were under HEPHAESTUS' influence. I cannot control those. It's getting more brazen," the AI noted. "Elisabet, you are injured," GAIA said, concern lacing her voice. 

"I'll be okay," she insisted. "Come on Erend, it's a long walk back."

"Hammer to steel, you're as determined as Aloy," Erend noted.

Elisabet simply turned, rolling her eyes slightly.

The Oseram chuckled heartily. If Aloy were here, he had no doubt she'd roll her eyes at him too.

\------

Elisabet trudged the last few feet that marked their official arrival in Meridian's city center, exhausted and sore, waving her goodbyes to Erend as he parted and headed back in the direction of the palace. Petra met her, the Oseram gasping at the sight of her--at first glance she looked so much like Aloy, dressed in armor, hair still braided at the sides and getting longer by the day, blood staining the side of her face. She rushed forward, hands instantly reaching for the dried blood that had trickled from her brow to her jaw. "Fire and spit, Lis, GAIA told me what happened. _You could have died,_ " she said, voice cracking. She pulled the redhead close, her arms shaking with adrenaline. "I could have _lost_ you." 

"I'm here," Elisabet reassured, in a low voice. "I'm here. Gonna take more than a few cuts and bruises to take me down," she smirked.

"Let's get you cleaned up," Petra said, her hand at Elisabet's back, the two headed in the direction of the Oseram's apartment.

As they walked, the redhead reached for her Focus, "GAIA, you there?"

"Always, Elisabet."

"Contact CYAN. It has the most experience with HEPHAESTUS. I think it'll be able to help you synthesize a cure using the seedlings as soon as Vanasha's people have them in range of her Focus for scanning."

"I concur, Elisabet. CYAN would be an excellent resource. I will contact it immediately."

"Thank you," Elisabet breathed into the Focus.

"May I request something?" GAIA asked.

"Anything."

"Let her take care of you."

\------

Petra gently washed away the blood on Elisabet's face, careful when she reached the cut above her eye. 

"It's not deep," the Oseram noted. "It'll heal well." She gently applied a salve from a nearby tin and Elisabet instantly felt the cooling sensation as it soothed the skin there.

"I should go see Aloy," the redhead said, her words flat and tired. 

Petra simply nodded. There'd be no convincing her to rest first, that much was clear. Deep down, the Oseram wasn't even sure how much time the girl had left. Hammer to steel, it was probably better to go soon.

Elisabet had washed up, exchanging the armor for the light Carja cottons and silks she had come to like. Petra couldn't help but stare. Even in her darkest moments, the other woman still seemed so beautiful to her. 

The two walked the familiar path to Aloy's room in the medical wing. Talanah greeted them at the door, quiet and defeated. It was clear the huntress was hurting as much as any of them. Elisabet's eyes glanced at the bed, noticing Aloy was missing. Her heart suddenly caught in her throat, every terrible possibility running through her mind.

The Sun-Hawk caught the expression almost as soon as it formed on the older woman's face. "She's not...she's okay," Talanah began. "The healers took her for another cold bath to keep the fever managed and to change the sheets. She's soaking through them. They'll be back with her soon."

Petra felt Elisabet's shoulders relax just slightly, tension radiating off of her. "Thank you for being here, Talanah," Elisabet said.

"Did you find what you needed?" 

"I think so but developing a cure will take some time. CYAN and GAIA are on it. They'll have to figure out a process that the healers here can replicate," Elisabet explained. 

Talanah's lips pressed into a thin line. "How long?"

"Not sure yet," the redhead admitted. "But I know time isn't on our side."

Talanah glanced down at her feet, eyes welling up.

"Fire and spit, girl, out with it," Petra said.

The Sun-Hawk brought her eyes up to meet with Elisabet's. "By the Sun, they said two or three days. Best case," Talanah replied, lip quivering. 

Before she knew what happened, the Oseram's arms were around her, supporting her weight, holding her still when all she wanted was to scream herself out of her own skin. 

Just as the panic was setting in, there was a knock at the door, the healers returning with Aloy, the girl laying eerily still on the stretcher. The red-robed group gently placed her back onto the newly made bed, her hair damp. Elisabet quickly rushed to her side, pressing a palm to the girl's forehead and recoiling at how hot it was. The purple tendrils were now creeping up her sternum, while a few of the bruises on her side were now turning a sick green at the edges. 

"Let's give her a minute," Petra said quietly to Talanah, who nodded in agreement. "I'll be right outside, Lis."

Elisabet gently carded through the girl's hair with her fingers. She was so painfully young. Too young to have suffered all of this. And should she survive, there were more battles to be won. 

GAIA's projection appeared beside her, the AI's arms appearing to wrap around Elisabet's waist. "I am so proud of you, Elisabet."

The redhead wiped at her eyes, swallowing thickly. "Why?"

"I watched you risk everything today for her. It was...terrifying but watching you was like watching her. Brave. Strong. More alike than I could have ever hoped." 

"I didn't feel strong, GAIA. If Erend hadn't been there..."

"Part of her strength is surrounding herself with good people. Like you did when you picked the Alphas. The people whose company you keep is a kind of strength. It is why I surround myself with you," the AI said, appearing to pull herself closer to Elisabet's body, her translucent head resting on the woman's shoulder.

"I just hope it'll be enough, GAIA. _I'm so fucking scared._ "

"CYAN and I are already working on a solution. We predict results will be ready in the morning. I love her fiercely, Elisabet. And I will do everything in my power to ensure her survival."

Aloy remained motionless. No sound. Not even the screams or moans of the days prior. It was unsettling. Disturbing. Nothing but the shallow up and down of her chest, breaths which seemed to come harder and harder as the days wore on.

"God, I hope it's enough."

\-----

"Fuck this," Elisabet said, head in her hands while she sat on the Oseram's couch, "I hate waiting to see if this will even work. Every minute I sit here is a minute she's _dying._ " 

Petra understood the redhead's frustration, giving her a sympathetic look. "Waiting is all we can do right now, Lis. CYAN and GAIA will come through. I believe in them. I believe _in you,_ " she began. She tried her best to muster up a sly smile, "Time-honored Oseram tradition would dictate a drink to get your mind off of it."

Elisabet turned her head toward the Oseram, letting her palms fall from her face, flinching slightly as her fingertips grazed the healing cut above her eye. "Yeah...you know what? I could use one." 

Petra moved to grab the cask of ale she kept stored in apartment's small cellar before Elisabet caught her off guard. 

"Got anything stronger? I feel like I'm about to lose my shit," she said.

Petra quirked up an eyebrow. She wasn't about to refuse a woman asking her for a _stiff drink._ "What did you have in mind?"

"Fuck, I don't even know if it exists anymore," Elisabet said, grimacing as she was once again reminded of how foreign the world still was to her. "In my day? We called it vodka."

The Oseram gave her a puzzled look, clearly indicating she'd never heard the word. 

Elisabet bit her lip, trying to think of a way to describe it. "Strong. You usually drink it in small portions. Clear. Smooth but has a bite at the end?" she said, hopeful she might get lucky. 

Petra smiled rummaging around in the small, cool, space. "Ah! Got just the thing!"

She returned with a bottle and two cups, pouring them only a quarter of the way full. Elisabet grabbed the cup quickly, downing the first shot, eager to dull the crushing pain of knowing that if her efforts failed, Aloy--her _daughter_ \--would die. The liquid was sharper and more astringent than she'd hoped--it tasted like the bastard child of moonshine and vodka, but it was close enough. It reminded her of the cheap stuff she'd partied with as a broke student at Carnegie-Mellon. 

Elisabet poured another, swallowing a second just as fast, her cheeks taking on a flushed redness.

"Fire and spit, Lis, you sure you're not Oseram?" Petra joked. "We call it burnwater. Did I get it right? Is this the same as what you used to have?"

Elisabet smiled warmly for the first time in days at the woman's effort. She dismissed her slight shudder at the taste. It was close enough. "You got it exactly right," she said, trying to lift Petra's spirits. For as much as she ached and hurt right now, she knew the Oseram was suffering too. For her. For Aloy. For fear of HADES and HEPHAESTUS' impending fury.

Petra finished her first shot, following it with a second, letting the alcohol loosen her limbs. Elisabet poured yet another, her third in the span of minutes. As she lifted the cup to her lips, Petra stilled the drink with her hand. "Whoa there, Lis."

The look Elisabet returned was dark in a way Petra had only glimpsed a few times, hollow and scared and angry. "I'm fine," she said, coldly. The redhead gently took Petra's hand in her own and swallowed her third drink. "Shit," she swore, shuddering slightly with the burn in her throat. The Oseram looked at her with a worried expression and Elisabet pretended not to notice. 

Elisabet leaned in to the sensation of fire in her chest, setting her cup down on the small table in front of the couch. Her hand caressed the line of Petra's jaw, kissing her hard. Elisabet pressed her until the backs of Petra's legs hit the edge of the bed. The redhead let the alcohol fuel her, willing away the grief tearing at her ribs. The Oseram let her hand rest at the small of Elisabet's back, surprised at the other woman's assertiveness. She was always _enthusiastic_ but never so _aggressive._ Petra kissed her back, attempting to match her intensity. As uncharacteristic as this was, she wouldn't deny Elisabet anything.

The redhead pressed her back on the bed, throwing a leg over Petra's side. She kissed at the Oseram's throat, along her jaw, eliciting a whimper from the dark-haired woman. Petra's hands rested on Elisabet's hips, the redhead quickly stripping off her shirt and Petra's along with it. Petra saw how bruised the redhead's back was, a painful stretch of black and blue that wrapped around her side. Elisabet couldn't stop, the need to seal away the agony inside her urgent and real. She guided the Oseram's palm under her waistband, ushering Petra just where she needed her. 

The two moved together while Petra used her free hand to cup the redhead's jaw. Elisabet's eyes were downcast, brows furrowed despite her otherwise passionate demeanor. Something was amiss and the Oseram knew it. Could feel it rolling off Elisabet in waves. "Lis, look at me," she said softly.

The redhead continued to move with her, but said nothing, picking up the pace instead, breath coming more and more ragged.

"Lis," Petra said, more urgent this time.

Elisabet ignored her, jaw clenched and face downturned. She couldn't talk about this. Not now. _Not now. Please._

"Lis, don't shut me out," Petra pleaded. She stopped the other woman, waiting for a response when suddenly hot tears trickled between the Oseram's fingers where she held Elisabet's jaw. 

"Please, Petra," Elisabet whispered, her words ever so slightly slurred. Her eyes lifted to meet the Oseram's, green-gold seeking dark topaz. "Please. I need this."

Petra kissed her softly, slowly. Needing to know Elisabet was here. Present. With her. That this was real. Wanted. 

The Oseram locked eyes with Elisabet, seeking permission or reassurance or love or something in between. She slowly began to move again. 

"Do you need _this_ or do you need _me?_ " Petra whispered low. 

A whine escaped Elisabet's throat. It was all so much. Everything hurt but her right now. Everything was raw and scared and miserable and agonizing except for _her._

"I need _you,_ " Elisabet confessed.

She wondered if Petra knew just how badly.

\------

Elisabet woke to the sensation of Petra gently stroking along her bruised back, soft and light. For a moment, she could almost forget that life and death hung in the balance. She stirred, rolling over with some effort, a small moan escaping her as her sore muscles screamed in protest.

"Sorry," Petra said to her. "Didn't mean to wake you."

Elisabet kissed her. "You didn't. Anxiety did," she said, a dark laugh escaping her. She moved to get up before the Oseram stopped her.

"I've already checked in with GAIA. She and CYAN passed the recipe for the medicine onto Vanasha's people and the healers are brewing it as we speak," Petra said. "I figured it was better to let you sleep while you could. It won't be ready for a few more hours. It's still early. The sun has barely risen."

Elisabet looked astonished. It was rare for anyone to get the jump on her in terms of preparedness, but leave it to Petra and GAIA to ensure she and Aloy were taken care of. She looked confused, unable to decide what to do now that she suddenly had some small amount of responsibility lifted.

"You could stay for awhile. With me," Petra offered, as if reading her mind. Damn. Was her poker face really that bad these days? Or had she simply given up on playing the role of the detached leader altogether?

The Oseram softly tugged the redhead back down toward her, her arms wrapped around the other woman, slowly tracing the shape of her with her fingertips. "I should go," Elisabet weakly asserted.

"She's going to live, Lis. I believe that. By the forge, I wasn't just saying it to make you feel better. And we'll know it for certain once the medicine is prepared. But...you need to be taken care of too. You burn brighter and hotter than anyone I've ever known save for Flame-Hair herself, but I don't want you to burn out all together. You understand what I'm saying?"

Elisabet nodded wordlessly into her chest, letting the comforting weight of Petra's limbs keep her there. She squeezed her eyes shut against the Oseram's skin, silent tears falling. 

"What if it doesn't work?" Elisabet whispered, barely able to get the words out.

"No matter what happens, I'll be here," Petra insisted, holding her tighter.

"This is my goddamn fault," Elisabet whined. "If I had built the system faster to have time to make backups, or predicted the kinds of interference..."

"Lis, no," Petra insisted. "No. I'm not letting you do this to yourself."

"But I-"

"Please," the Oseram said quietly, thumb brushing the woman's cheek, "just be here with me. Just for now."

Elisabet swallowed her frustrated tears, curling herself in as close as possible.

Just for now.

\------

Petra and Elisabet arrived to see Talanah dutifully at her usual bedside post. Her hands gently held Aloy's. Beside her on the table next to the bed was a small bowl filled halfway with yellow-green looking liquid.

"That it?" Elisabet asked expectantly. 

The Sun-Hawk nodded. "The healers just brought it. They said Vanasha gave them the recipe, though GAIA told me later it was her and CYAN who created it. The healers are calling the new plant Daemonbane--they said it was mixed with the Glaze Root. Will it work?"

"God, I hope so," Elisabet said. She touched her Focus, "GAIA, give me the low down."

GAIA's projection appeared before all of them, still wearing black. "CYAN and I worked for most of the night to create a recipe that the healers here would be able to follow. It would have been more effective to use the more mature plants as DEMETER advised, but this is currently our best option given our time constraints."

"What are our chances?" Elisabet asked, her voice small and timid.

"DEMETER predicts a sixty-five percent chance of success, given the potency of the available seedlings," GAIA said, eyes cast down.

"And she needs to drink this?" Petra asked.

"That is correct," the AI replied.

"Guess it's now or never," Elisabet said, her hands shaking and her legs ready to give out. "You two...you don't have to stay. It...this might not work. And if it goes badly, well...you don't have to see this. You probably _don't want_ to see this."

"Elisabet, we're here for you and Aloy," Talanah insisted. "By the Sun, I will not abandon either of you."

"I've never shied away from forge-fire, Lis. Not ever," Petra agreed.

Talanah and Petra each took a seat in chairs at Aloy's bedside while Elisabet climbed up next to the girl. GAIA's projection appeared to sit next to them both, her shimmering hand resting on top of the girl's chest as it rose and fell. 

Elisabet gently brushed back Aloy's sweat soaked hair. "Hey baby girl," she said softly. "I need you to wake up. I've got medicine."

Aloy's brows furrowed slightly, a moan escaping her. Her eyes fluttered open, dazed and swimming in sickness. "Y-you...came..." she whispered hoarsely. 

"Of course I did, kiddo. GAIA's here too. So's Petra and Talanah."

"Then it's...time...isn't...it...?" the girl asked, gasping slightly. "I'm so...glad...I won't...be...a-alone."

It took Elisabet a moment to understand before her heart broke, realizing what Aloy meant. She tried to push it down, swallowing thickly. She needed to get the girl better. "I need to sit you up so you can drink this," she explained. Elisabet tugged the huntress up into a semi-upright position, letting the weight of her rest against her side. Aloy seemed lighter than before, and the hollows of her cheeks seemed to indicate she'd dropped weight. 

GAIA looked on sadly, unable to do what Elisabet could. The AI felt nervous, unable to predict with certainty what would happen. It was an unsettling feeling for her. 

Petra reached for Talanah's hand, the two holding on to each other in solidarity for the women they loved.

Elisabet grabbed the nearby bowl full of liquid and sniffed at it, making a face. Aloy was _not_ going to like this. 

She tilted the bowl to the girl's lips. "You have to drink all of this, kiddo." The huntress dutifully took her first gulp, her eyes squeezed shut in revulsion as she gagged on the taste. "All of it, Aloy. We can't make more right now," Elisabet urged. If the situation weren't so dire, she'd almost laugh at how parental she sounded. The girl did her best to swallow the remaining liquid, fighting every urge to vomit along the way. Elisabet quickly exchanged the bowl for a nearby cup of water, helping Aloy to chase the awfulness with something more palatable.

When she was finished, the girl used the last of her strength to lean into Elisabet, curling against her even as the heat radiated off her skin.

"Was...hoping...to hear...you one more t-time," the girl whispered, unable to manage anything louder. She looked up at Elisabet, eyes still unfocused, but there was some recognition there as she saw the healing cut above the woman's eye, the braids in her hair, the length of it, the strength in her expression. "You...look...like me," Aloy said, the tiniest tug of a smile at the corner of her lips. Her head laid on the older woman's chest. "...Sound like me...too...easy to drift away."

"You're not going to die, Aloy," Elisabet assured. "Just rest while the medicine takes its course. It's okay to sleep, baby girl."

GAIA's hand appeared to stroke the girl's cheek. "You are in good hands, Aloy. All of ours. Rest now."

"I'm...sorry Talanah," the huntress said. "Wanted more time."

"By the Sun, we'll have it," the Sun-Hawk promised, eyes red and glassy. 

"I'm sorry...to...you too, GAIA."

"What could you ever be sorry for, child?"

"I didn't...finish...fixing you. They're still...out there."

GAIA's face dropped, tears streaking her projected face. Petra looked at Elisabet, face sympathetic and worn.

"No need for goodbyes, kiddo. Just rest, it's okay," Elisabet soothed. "You're _going to be okay,_ " she said, trying to will it to happen with every fiber of her being.

"Mother...I...I love you," Aloy said, the effort to speak painful and heavy. It was clear there was more she wanted to say, but unable to get the words out, her eyes pleading with Elisabet to understand. 

"I know, baby. I love you too," Elisabet whispered gently, the hollow pain inside her every organ screaming: _please let this work._

Aloy seemed satisfied with the response, closing her eyes and resting her weight fully on the older woman. Her breathing was already ragged, but seemed to slow with impending sleep.

Slower.

Slower.

Slower.

Until it stopped.

GAIA appeared to jump close to Elisabet's side while Talanah and Petra held their breath.

"Aloy," Elisabet coaxed, though the girl didn't move. "Aloy," she said again, louder this time, shaking the girl hard.

No response.

_"Aloy!"_


	11. Sunrise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys all suffered alongside me for three rough chapters, so this is your reward! We've all earned it. Enjoy.

The mixture--whatever was in that bowl--it had tasted _awful._ And yet somehow, that didn't seem to matter because the next thing she knew, cool water was pressed to her lips, though it took all of her strength to swallow. 

Everything was fading, making less and less sense, losing cohesion around her--everything except _that sound,_ pulling her back to where she'd come from. What she was made of. Where she'd been born. 

Where she'd go when she died.

Because _of course_ she was dying. Every fiber in her body knew it as the heat from her fever continued to fry her from the inside out. Death was like a heavy blanket, weighing her down comfortably until she could just give in and fall into unending sleep. She rested against Elisabet's chest, feeling the rise and fall of it, the lure of the rhythm beneath her ribs too comforting to ignore. Too similar. Too familiar. She hated the idea of leaving them: Talanah, Petra, her other friends, her _mothers._ But she supposed that if it had to happen, this is how she wanted it to be. 

Right here. 

Listening to _that sound._

The beat that had been with her for her entire life. That GAIA had ensured surrounded her as she came into being. That thudded in her own chest. That called her back now to whatever waited beyond oblivion--to wherever Rost was, perhaps. There were worse ways to leave this life.

Her surroundings were losing meaning, though she was vaguely aware of Petra's bated breath.

Of Talanah's stifled tears. 

Of Elisabet urging her to rest. 

Of GAIA singing something softly to her through the Focus she still wore.

The song was something she didn't recognize, but that calmed her all the same. She allowed herself to drift, slowly. Letting the blanket of death weigh heavier and heavier upon her, layering her like she was huddling for warmth against the harsh winters of the Cut. It was a shame, really. She'd wanted _so much more time._ But like all those who die, she didn't have much say in the matter. 

Aloy felt her last breath leave her, the draw of eternal sleep too much too bear, surrounded only by _that sound_ until the world went dark.

The dark was comfortable.

Warm.

Soft.

It held her so gently. 

So readily.

Somewhere in the distance she heard a voice screaming her name.

Did that matter anymore?

What was her name?

_"Aloy."_

_"Aloy!"_

She was vaguely aware of other sounds, far away and meaningless. But she wanted to stay with _that sound._ She wanted to be buried in it. To let it take her. And suddenly, it was gone. There was a sensation of hands on her, her body being moved without her being the one to control it. She felt fingertips at her throat, hands sure and direct. 

Talanah?

_"She still has a pulse!"_

There were words in her Focus, calling to her, but she couldn't make them out. She only knew it was the voice of GAIA, and she was reminded once again of the old Nora belief: _it is sacred to die near one's mother._

She felt her head and throat tilted back and suddenly, air was forced into her lungs. It made her feel vulnerable, exposed, like some bodily process she should have had control of but didn't. 

When was the last time she'd taken a breath?

Air filled her lungs again without her consent. She felt an ear against her chest, listening. Why couldn't she just go? Why couldn't she just sleep? Everything had hurt for so long, didn't she deserve to rest? 

_"Breathe, baby girl, come on!"_

She just wanted _that sound_ back. That's all she wanted. Why couldn't they see that?

_"Fire and spit, Flame-Hair! Breathe!"_

Oh well. It was time to go, after all. Everything seemed so inconsequential this far away.

 _"Aloy, come back to me,"_ the voice in the Focus urged. _"Come back to me. I cannot bear to feel the life I carried extinguished so soon."_

Air forcefully entered her chest yet again, this time sending her coughing and sputtering as her eyes shot open. 

What had happened?

What was going on?

Why was everyone she loved circled around her? 

Her mind was hazy and swimming, unfocused as she gasped for each breath. She couldn't catch it, feeling like at any moment it might escape her and send her back to the same darkness that had tried to claim her. With the last of her strength, she reached out a shaky arm, pressing the heel of her palm into the ribs of the figure above her. 

That's when she felt it. The same rhythm as _that sound._ Here it was, within her reach again. "Mother..." she strained, the words barely rising from her throat. 

The older woman held the girl's hand to her chest, quickly understanding the girl's need to be anchored to some kind of pattern, anything, if it would keep her breathing. Talanah gently brushed back the huntress' hair while wiping the tears from her eyes. Petra held the girl's spare hand while her other arm wrapped around Elisabet's waist, seemingly holding her steady. GAIA's projection appeared to stroke along her jaw, her digital face tear streaked--a strange mix of anguish and relief.

"You're okay," Elisabet choked, sobs ripping through her as she collapsed forward, half hugging the girl to her body, half shielding her from the world. "You're okay," she repeated again, not sure if it was for her sake or Aloy's. 

She scooted next to the girl who was still mostly limp, exhausted and hot. Elisabet didn't care, she didn't dare leave Aloy's side now, instead hugging the girl tightly to herself. 

"You did it, Lis," Petra said in quiet reverence. "Every time I think I can't be more surprised by you, and you go and breathe life into the dying."

"The Sun shines brightly upon them both," Talanah breathed in relief.

"In you all things are possible," GAIA added through their Focuses.

And despite everyone's thankful utterances, Aloy found they all drowned out behind her.

"You just keep breathing, kiddo. Keep breathing. That's all you have to do tonight and the hard part's over, I promise," Elisabet soothed.

Aloy allowed herself to enjoy the sensation of everyone's hands on her, the physical contact staving off the empty hunger of a touch starved youth. All she had to do was breathe. 

Breathe, and listen as _that sound_ carried her through. 

Not into oblivion.

But into life.

\------

Two days later, and Aloy had finally come home.

Elisabet breathed a heavy sigh of relief, the coils of her muscles unwinding as Petra's calloused hands kneaded her shoulders. The healers departed, leaving the huntress asleep in her large bed. The older woman was exhausted, the last week had run her ragged in ways she couldn't have conceived of in her old life. Petra held her steady, a strength in her grasp that hid the very real fear she'd felt watching the girl slowly die before them just two days prior. But she had to be here. She had to be strong for Elisabet. For Aloy.

The redhead moved to sit at the edge of the bed, her hand on the huntress' arm. "Hey baby," she said softly. 

The girl's eyes cracked open and she peered blearily at Elisabet. A choked sound of acknowledgement escaped her and Elisabet smoothed the girl's hair back gently. "You're home. You're safe."

Aloy hissed as she adjusted her position. "Am I still dying?" she asked, part of her deadly serious and still terrified.

Elisabet kissed her on the forehead, squeezing the girl's hand. "You're healing," she replied.

"Well...I hate it," Aloy said hoarsely in a halfhearted joke, desperately trying to keep her eyes open.

"You'll be stronger than ever before, Flame-Hair," Petra said, gently patting the girl's leg. "You did great."

Petra hugged Elisabet from behind, her arms wrapping around the redhead's shoulders. "Thank you...for everything," Elisabet said to her, tucking her face into the crook of Petra's neck. 

"I should let you two rest," Petra said softly. "You two need time to just...be. Besides, I've got some contracts I've been ignoring and I'm pretty sure they'll kick me out of the Free Heap if I don't keep business moving," she joked. "I'll bring by food later. That girl could use some meat on her bones."

Elisabet kissed her on the cheek and Petra excused herself from the apartment, prompting GAIA to appear, wrapped in blue on the opposite side of the bed. She laid next to Aloy, stroking along the girl's jaw in a soothingly repetitive motion. "I am so sorry you have suffered so much, Aloy. It would seem it has been largely my fault."

The girl muttered some objection, something about it being the Daemon, but it was clear she needed sleep and recovery badly. She reached out toward GAIA's projection, almost forgetting for a moment that there wouldn't be anything to touch. The AI appeared to curl her hand around the girl's outstretched grasp. "I know you cannot feel this, Aloy, but I can. I can always feel you."

The huntress was fading fast, falling into sleep yet again as healing wounds sapped her energy. "You're my...mother," she insisted, "of...course I...feel you." And Aloy knew deep down it was true. "I...heard you singing as I...as I..." she didn't have the heart to finish the words. GAIA smiled through teary eyes. "Shh now, child, sleep. And when you wake, I will still be here."

"You were singing to her?" Elisabet asked gently, chest aching at the thought.

The AI nodded. "You and the others are there for her in ways I cannot be," she said, an explanation in itself. "When she stopped breathing, I was powerless. _You_ saved her, Elisabet. You did what I could not," she explained, a mournful tone in her voice.

"You synthesized the antidote, GAIA. She wouldn't be here if you hadn't. We're in this together, okay?"

GAIA smiled softly at her. "Of course, you are correct, Elisabet."

"She's _our_ daughter. Ours to protect. Both of us," the older woman insisted, rubbing at her eyes. She was more tired now than she'd ever remembered being working on Zero Dawn. She silently cursed the lack of stims, a rueful and wry smirk on her face.

"What is it, Elisabet?" GAIA asked.

As if watching it happen in slow motion, Elisabet felt her veneer crack, brow furrowing and eyes squeezing shut against impending tears. "It's nothing, I'm just exhausted. And so, so, fucking _grateful_ she's alive."

The older woman had every intention of returning to her room, but fatigue was quickly winning as she instead sunk down next to Aloy, unable to convince herself that it was worth the energy to move, wrapping her palm around the girl's bicep to reassure them both that she was still here.

"Will you wake me when Petra comes back?" Elisabet breathed.

"Of course," the AI replied. "I wish you both a pleasant sleep."

Somewhere at the edge of consciousness, Elisabet could hear soft tones drifting in. 

She smiled ever so slightly as sleep took her, knowing GAIA was singing to them both.

\------

Her muscles burned and ached, but the redhead would not be deterred. 

She needed to be better prepared next time. She wouldn't be satisfied with being a burden on those around her, and she winced to think about the last beating she'd taken, unconsciously touching her fingertips to the now healed spot above her eye.

"Again!" Erend called, swinging at her with closed fists. 

She brought up her forearm to block, ducking low and countering with her opposite hand, just like he'd shown her earlier. Sweat beaded at the back of her neck under the hot Meridian sun. They had been at this for hours and it seemed all Elisabet could do to stave off the feeling that all the suffering for the last few weeks had been _her fault._

She was panting, exhausted and winded after the long training session. 

"I think it's good to stop here," Erend offered.

"No," Elisabet countered stubbornly. "No, I can go for longer."

"Elisabet," the Oseram said kindly. "We've been going for hours. It's _enough._ "

He didn't say it outright, but she heard the unspoken implication: that no matter how badly she wanted it, there was no making up for what happened. There was no approaching Aloy's skill or abilities, there was no real _protecting_ her. The best she could hope for was protecting herself.

Elisabet nodded her acquiescence, accepting the Oseram's end to their training. "Thank you," she said. "Really."

"Happy to help," Erend chuckled. "Hammer to steel, you're as fiery as she is."

The redhead laughed. "I'll take it as a compliment."

She walked home, ready to get back to Aloy. As she entered the apartment she called out, "I'm back, kiddo."

"We're up here," Talanah responded, her voice drifting down the steps from the huntress' bedroom. Elisabet found herself more and more fond of the girl who hadn't left her daughter's side since the entire ordeal began. And though Aloy had been out of the medical wing for three weeks now, the Sun-Hawk had been there every moment she was able to spare from her duties at the Lodge. 

Elisabet cleaned up in the bathroom and changed before heading up, finding Talanah and Aloy laying on their backs on top of the covers of her bed, talking casually. The older woman shook her head slightly recalling how close her daughter had come to death, how she'd stopped breathing. How she'd broken her fever the night she'd swallowed the Daemonbane mixture. Ever since her discharge, Talanah had remained at her beck and call while she recovered, though Aloy had slept hard for several days before really returning to the world, her bruises fading and side healing slowly but surely.

"How're you feeling, Aloy?" Elisabet asked.

"Ready to get out of this apartment," the girl huffed, rolling her eyes. 

Truly, Elisabet could see the huntress was recovered, though her strength needed to be rebuilt and lost weight and muscle needed to be gained. Still, the older woman smiled softly at their luck. It could have been _much worse._ Unthinkably worse. She tried to brush it off again, the anxiety crawling through her.

Talanah motioned to get up standing and facing Elisabet. "I've got to go. Lodge event I need to supervise. I'll be back when I can."

"Anytime, Talanah," Elisabet said warmly. 

"Oh and Aloy," Talanah said, walking toward the stairs, "don't forget. Surprise night out two days from now...if you're feeling well enough."

"I'll be there," Aloy promised, the only real evidence of previous injuries were some tender scars and a few remaining faded bruises. As soon as HEPHAESTUS' poison had left her, she had healed exceedingly well. The girl rather liked to think she was too stubborn to die, or at least that was what she told herself so as to avoid thinking too much about just how close she'd come to the void.

Talanah shut the door behind her, leaving Elisabet and Aloy alone. 

"Hey kiddo, can I ask a favor?" Elisabet said, running her fingers through still damp hair.

"Anything."

"Could you redo these braids? They're getting a little grown out. I'm terrible at doing it myself."

Aloy's eyes lit up. "You mean...you want to keep them?"

"Of course I do, why wouldn't I?"

"I always kind of figured you were humoring me. I know you never wore your hair like this _before._ " Aloy said softly.

"I didn't have you then, either," Elisabet replied. "And if wearing these mean that people will know we belong together, that's good enough for me. Besides," she continued, "I think I like it. I want _everyone_ to know you're mine."

She perched on the bed near the girl, who quickly went to work untying the existing braids, adept fingers that were no stranger to the process.

"You have been training often, Elisabet," GAIA chimed in before projecting herself to sit with them. "Four times just this week."

"Yeah," she said, massaging a sore shoulder, "and I'm paying for it, too."

"You know you don't have to do that," Aloy said, hands still nimbly re-braiding Elisabet's hair. "I don't want you put in danger."

"You both saw what happened to me while collecting the metal flower," Elisabet began, "I felt powerless and I was lucky Erend was with me. I _hate_ feeling incapable. I have to do this. For me."

GAIA looked at the two of them fondly, a smile that reached her eyes.

"What is it?" Aloy asked, glancing up from the braids.

"You two are so similar in all of the best ways," GAIA said, laughing softly. "So much fire. So much strength."

"Yeah just you wait until I _really_ get ripped then I'll show you strength," Elisabet joked.

GAIA raised an eyebrow, grinning. "I would certainly not mind."

The older woman blushed hard, as she and Aloy burst out laughing in unison.

\------

"Going out with Talanah?" Elisabet asked, hiding the nervousness in her voice. It wasn't like she could protect Aloy from the world, and it was about time she got back to living in it.

Aloy nodded in the affirmative. "Is that...okay?" she asked, knowing perhaps that Elisabet was hesitant to let her out of her sight after nearly losing her.

The older woman smirked. "You're an adult, kiddo. You know you don't have to ask, but it's sweet of you anyway. Go have fun. You deserve it. Really."

Aloy smiled warmly, glad she had Elisabet's blessing on the matter. "Will you be here later?"

Elisabet laughed easily, "If you're going out, I'm going out. Let it never be said that the Sobeck women don't know how to cut loose."

"Petra?"

Elisabet grinned. "Always."

"I'm...glad you have her, you know."

"I am too, kiddo. She...uh...she was really there for me when you were...y-you know. I don't know what I would have done without her. She-she helped me save you."

Aloy casually hugged her arms around Elisabet's shoulders. "Do you love her?"

Elisabet fiddled with the braid hanging down the side of her hair, nodding slightly. "It's been a long time since I felt like this...about anyone. But, yeah, I think so. Are you...okay with that?"

Aloy scrunched up her face, feigning shock and placed her hands squarely on either of Elisabet's arms, looking her straight in the eye. "You are my _mother,_ " she began, "and all I want for you is to be happy. You _saved the world._ You _saved me._ You deserve someone amazing and I think no one else could measure up except perhaps GAIA herself."

The older woman took the girl's hand and kissed the back of it. "Thank you, Aloy. That really...means a lot."

"All right," Aloy said, breaking off with a youthful energy. "I have to go. I promised I'd meet Talanah just after sundown."

"And you don't want to leave her waiting," Elisabet smirked, winking. 

Aloy flushed across her cheeks, flustered. _"Mother,"_ she whined in faux frustration. 

Elisabet chuckled as Aloy turned and closed the door. These little moments were the ones she cherished. The ones where Aloy was allowed to be refreshingly young and they both got to feel like family. It was the part she loved. And she would _never_ give it up.

\------

"Looking good, little Thrush," Talanah complimented. Her fingers softly ran over the shoulder of the silken top Aloy wore. It was so rare to see her this way, wearing something completely casual, no armor in sight. She was beautiful. Stunning, really, and Talanah had to make a physical effort to avert her eyes. The only thing amiss was the slight hollowness to her cheeks after weeks of recovery and little to eat. 

"So where are we going tonight?" Aloy asked. Talanah hadn't told her beforehand, the huntress content to tease her with the threat of a _surprise._

"One of my favorites," Talanah smirked. "Come on." She let her hand fall from Aloy's shoulder, fingertips dancing along her forearm until she reached for the redhead's hand. Aloy's slender fingers laced through her own, grasping tightly. Talanah smiled at her through strands of dark hair. She usually wore it up, but tonight felt different. Like she was finally coming up for air. Like she could finally breathe knowing that Aloy was as well. 

Talanah's thumb rubbed small circles into the redhead's hand and the two walked down the winding paths of the city to the gilded elevator, riding it the long way down to the village below. Aloy admired the sunset as it caught Talanah's eyes, glinting off the metal surrounding them. She smiled warmly and leaned into the Sun-Hawk's shoulder, content to be exactly where she was.

"What's down here?" Aloy asked Talanah. 

"Everything that's not up there," she replied slyly. "All the nobles are on the mesa, with their snobby attitudes and elitist ways. Down here? This is where the _real_ things are. People down here know _how to live._ And I...I almost watched you die," she said, voice shaking at the end. "It still makes me sick to think about. So I figured why not go all out? Celebrate. Shake off all that death."

"I'm...glad you didn't leave. You didn't have to stay for all of that. I know it must have been hard."

Talanah squeezed the girl's hand reassuringly. "You almost _died,_ Aloy, and you think I had it hard? Sun and shadow, leaving was never an option," she said resolutely. 

The elevator doors opened and Talanah guided them through the streets of the lower village, taking turns Aloy never had. In the distance, the huntress began to pick up notes of some Carja song, drum beats that grew louder as they continued on.

"Music?" Aloy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You'll see," the Sun-Hawk smiled.

They walked until Talanah stopped them both in front of a building that appeared almost hidden, as if you could walk right past it if it weren't for the music clearly emanating through its walls. She opened the door and Aloy's eyebrows shot straight up. There were _so many_ people inside, the crowd dense and the lighting dim and atmospheric. The music was louder than almost any she'd ever heard--save for Laulai's drumming in the Deep Din. Crowds were still tough for the huntress to navigate. Years of isolation hadn't prepared her for the press of so many bodies. 

Talanah pulled her closer. "I've got you," she promised, aware of the tension in the younger woman. 

As they proceeded through the lengthy hall, Aloy couldn't help but stare: men and women dancing together in ways she'd never seen before. It was far less ritualistic than it was sensual, hands grasping and bodies touching easily. The scene was intoxicating and she felt the deep rumble of the drum beats reverberating in her chest. It was comforting, like a heavy weight against her.

The dark haired woman led her to the rear of the venue where the area opened into a modern looking Carja pub. She quickly sidled up to the counter and purchased a glass of her favorite wine, taking a sip. Talanah looked at Aloy, who, for the first time since the Sun-Hawk had known her, looked out of her element and uncomfortable, as if she didn't know what to do with herself.

"You okay?" Talanah asked over the loud music, directing the redhead to an open corner where they could mingle relatively undisturbed.

The huntress looked over her shoulders, eyes scanning the room as if expecting some sudden strike. "Yeah it's just...I never do well with crowds. Hard for me to handle so many people at once. Especially these days when everyone's always calling me their 'Savior' or 'Anointed,' or whatever they think I am."

Talanah brushed Aloy's cheek with her thumb. "It's dark in here. No one's going to recognize you and even if they did, they don't care. That's my favorite part about this place. Everyone just lets go and loses themselves. They're not interested in you. They're interested in whoever they're with. Tonight you don't have to be the Savior or the Anointed. Tonight you get to be Aloy," she said before leaning close to to whisper in the girl's ear. "You don't have to handle anyone in here tonight but me," she said, breath hot on Aloy's throat. "Think you can?"

The girl blushed intensely, glad that Talanah couldn't see it in the dim lighting. A burn started deep in her chest, a deep desire to make up for lost time with the Sun-Hawk--to do exactly as the dark haired woman had suggested: _shake off all that death._ The time for hesitance was over. Nearly dying had proven that much. She leaned forward and kissed Talanah deeply enough to surprise them both. 

"You taste like wine," Aloy grinned, enjoying the sweetness of it. 

Talanah's eyes lit up at the redhead's eagerness. "Oh am I finally teaching you to _appreciate_ it?" she joked. "Want one?"

Aloy nodded, recalling how much she'd liked it that night on the balcony with the Sun-Hawk. A night that seemed so far away now. Before all that suffering. Before nearly succumbing to HEPHAESTUS' poison. She shook her head. It would do no good to dwell on it now. She tried to remain present. Where she belonged, with Talanah.

"Be right back," the Sun-Hawk smirked, going to retrieve a drink for Aloy.

The redhead looked around at the writhing bodies. This was _dancing?_ She gulped in discomfort. Dancing wasn't exactly something she had much experience with. Hard to find music around as an outcast unless you were singing it yourself.

Talanah returned soon enough with a glass that she held out to Aloy, who took it graciously and quickly swallowed, hoping it would lessen her anxiety. The Sun-Hawk seemed to understand the girl's apprehension, letting her adjust into the new environment. Talanah made small talk that she hoped would put Aloy at ease, letting her hand brush along the huntress' arm. "You've never danced before, have you?" she finally asked.

"Am I that obvious?" Aloy replied, downing the rest of her drink. 

Talanah chuckled softly. "You look mortified. Don't the Nora dance at all?"

"They do," Aloy began, "but...not quite like this. And even if they did, it's not like I was part of it."

Talanah flinched, realizing her misstep. Had she made a mistake bringing Aloy here? She didn't want to make the girl that uncomfortable. "Come on," she said, "another round and I'll have you dancing in no time."

\------

Sure enough, the influx of alcohol had helped loosen her limbs and her mind. Aloy found she quite enjoyed the sway her body now felt as she finished her second glass and set it down on a nearby table. 

Talanah grabbed her close at the small of her back, "Let's go," she said, guiding the two of them into the fray of bodies.

"I really don't know how," Aloy admitted, embarrassed. 

"I'll show you," Talanah grinned. "Remember what I promised? That next time we were out, I'd give you some more _firsts._ I intend to make good on it," she said, kissing the girl. 

The Sun-Hawk grasped at Aloy's waist, showing her how to move in time with the music, letting her body settle into the rhythm echoing through the hall. Aloy looked around nervously, moving with a stiffness Talanah had never seen.

"Hey," the Sun-Hawk said low and close to her, "don't worry about them. Focus on _me._ " She kissed Aloy again, deeper this time, her hand at the back of the girl's neck. "You know how to do _this_ don't you?" she teased.

Aloy nodded, eyes still closed, body pressed tight to Talanah's.

"Then just do that, and let me lead."

Talanah kissed her again, the two trading back and forth on the crowded, hot, dance floor. The Sun-Hawk moved in time, letting her hands drift from Aloy's waist down to her hips, encouraging her to sway. The heavy drums continued and Talanah pressed into the huntress, which only spurred her to return the movement. Aloy's head was spinning ever so slightly and she found it easier and easier to move with Talanah. She kissed along the Sun-Hawk's jaw and Talanah adjusted their alignment subtly, letting her thigh slip between Aloy's legs. The younger woman gasped but didn't back away, instead matching her rhythm, eager for contact. 

They moved together, hips and legs and arms and mouths pleading for _more._ The air in the hall was thick and humid with the heat of moving bodies and Aloy felt a bead of sweat roll down the back of her neck. It only seemed to add to the growing sense of _want_ inside her. She wrapped her arms around Talanah's waist and pulled them even closer, chest to chest as they danced harder.

"And here I thought you didn't know how to dance. What happened to being nervous?" Talanah teased hotly against her ear.

Aloy blushed. "You didn't tell me it could feel _like this._ "

"Only with me," the Sun-Hawk joked, kissing her again. She paused their movements, pushing away from Aloy who protested with a low whine. Talanah reached into a pouch and procured a small vial, taking a tiny sip. "Want some?"

Aloy scrunched up her face, only vaguely aware how desperately she wished for Talanah's body to touch hers again. "What is it?"

Talanah smirked, holding out the vial in offering. "Let's just say it's my own tincture of herbs, not so much for pain but for _relief._ No pressure."

The redhead looked wary but took a sip anyway. She trusted Talanah with her life, and the past few weeks had already solidified how she felt. "What if I lose myself?"

The Sun-Hawk kissed along her throat. 

"I'll always find you."

\------

Two hours had passed and Aloy had never felt so carefree. The pair danced and laughed and shouted with the crowd. The redhead felt removed from herself, an effect of the tincture, Talanah had said. And yet, everything felt _right_ like there was no other person she'd have rather experienced it with. They moved as if they had never done so separately, Aloy enjoying every movement Talanah made like a revelation of the senses, the _want_ buried deep and unyielding. It was getting later and unbearably humid but the huntress didn't want the feeling to end.

Their breath was heavy and hot, chests heaving against each other and with each slip of Talanah's leg and hands, Aloy tried hard to keep herself socially acceptable. Talanah knew what she was doing and that made it all the more appealing, the seduction of it that much more tempting. It made the redhead's heart race in a way she'd never felt before. "Do you want to go somewhere...where we can be alone?" Aloy asked, almost timidly. Was this the right move? She'd never done any of this before but her inebriated mind seemed to find it the best course of action. 

Talanah nodded, looking her in the eyes before kissing her once more. "It took you less time to ask than I was expecting," she teased, grabbing the girl by the hand and leading her out the way they came. The two were a swaying mess of limbs and laughing as they walked to the imposingly tall elevator. Once inside, Aloy was mesmerized by the starlight seen through bleary eyes. 

Talanah looked at her with a surprisingly sober expression. "You know how important you are to me, right little Thrush?"

She edged closer to the redhead until her back was against the metal slats of the elevator's cage. Talanah's hands cupped either side of Aloy's face. "You can't ever die on me, Aloy. Promise me," she said. They weren't the most elegant words she could muster but the alcohol and herbs were taking their toll and Aloy could see the pain in the other woman's expression knowing how close she'd come to death. It wasn't something she was eager to repeat. She hated knowing that for all she had suffered, those closest to her had as well.

"I promise," she said, swallowing thickly though somewhere in the back of her mind, the huntress in her knew it was foolish to do so.

"Good," Talanah breathed, kissing her forehead. As she did, the elevator opened, and Talanah took the girl's hand again, anticipation in every movement. "So...my place or...?"

"My apartment's empty," Aloy volunteered almost a little too enthusiastically.

"Sneaking around while your mother's out? I like your style, Thrush," Talanah complimented, causing the other girl to blush intensely.

They weaved down the streets of Meridian, entering the familiar door. The moment it closed, it was as if they had never left the dance hall, hands and mouths searching for purchase as they made their way upstairs to Aloy's bedroom, articles of clothing beginning to litter the floor.

Their shirts had both been lost as Talanah pressed them both onto the bed, beginning to take off the rest. "Is this okay? Is this what you want?" Talanah asked carefully.

Aloy nodded in the affirmative, hesitating before she added, "I've never done this before."

"Good thing a Hawk never abandons her Thrush," Talanah said softly. "Another _first_ I'm honored to give."

The Sun-Hawk couldn't take her eyes off of Aloy's bare form, the lighting low and soft. "Sun and shadow," she said, almost to herself in awe. Aloy was powerful and soft at the same time, beautiful and breathtaking. Even her still-fresh pink scars along her side only seemed to add to her allure. The two traded heated kisses before Talanah's mouth trailed its way down the redhead's neck and collarbone, making her way down Aloy's chest to take supple flesh into her mouth. The huntress bucked against her with the need to satisfy _something_ in a way she couldn't quite articulate. She had only ever known her own touch and Talanah's was so wonderfully _different._

"By the Sun, if you like that, you'll _love_ what comes next," the Sun-Hawk teased, her hands working lower and lower until she found what she wanted.

 _"Goddess,"_ Aloy breathed, throat arcing back.

Talanah had been right about shaking off all that death.

She had never felt so _alive._

\------

Aloy woke early, her body wrapped lovingly around Talanah's, the woman's back against her torso. The rise and fall of the Sun-Hawk's ribs against her own was soothing, grounding, a display of vulnerability that she understood deeply. Talanah was a hunter, after all, and to leave herself unguarded around anyone implied a deep and implicit trust. Her breath came slow and calm and for now, Aloy was able to set aside any worry over HEPHAESTUS and HADES or the impending battles to be fought and won. Right now, there was only _her._

She buried her face in Talanah's neck, kissing her gently enough that she wouldn't wake. She sighed heavily, listening for whether or not Elisabet had returned and hearing only silence instead. She hugged herself closer to the dark-haired woman. She could spare herself a few more hours of unbridled contentment. She had earned this. She _deserved_ it and Talanah had been sure to show her just how true that was.

She focused on the sight before her, on the Sun-Hawk's relaxed features. On the curve of her shoulder and the slope of her hips. On the smooth of her skin and the muscle of her frame.

And though there was no visible sky before her, Aloy swore she was witnessing the most _beautiful_ sunrise.


	12. Of the Nora

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A transitional chapter that sets up for what's to come. Apologies for the slight delay, but after deciding I was going to build out this story to conclusion, I really had to sit down and figure out where to go. Thank you for your patience.

"Vanasha," he said softly, "any word from the outer reaches of the Sundom? More attacks?"

"Yes, your Radiance," Vanasha replied, casting her eyes down. "It would seem the Daemon's vengeance does not discriminate. Reports have been coming from border villages and towns: Carja, Oseram, and of course the Banuk have had their encounters for years now."

"Is it moving closer to Meridian as HADES did?" Avad asked carefully.

"No, my King. But my sources have noticed something peculiar: the attacks appear to be slowly gaining in strength, invading bigger and bigger communities. The first reports were from small outposts, trade camps, that sort of thing. Small numbers of casualties. Now? Dozens at a time."

Avad sighed with the weight of the Sundom on his shoulders as he leaned against the railing that guarded his throne. From here, he could see the whole of the city, gleaming in beautiful rays of orange and pink sunrise. His eyes were distant. How long had it been since he'd felt true peace? A sense that impending doom wasn't imminent? It had to have been before the Red Raids. Before the evil deeds done in the false name of the Sun.

"And the cure?" he asked, without turning around.

"It is being distributed as quickly as possible, your Radiance, but the Daemonbane is rare in these lands. We have sent scouts to find or trade for more in Banuk territory, but the journey is long and hard."

"Good. And Vanasha? Do not allow word of this to reach Itamen's ears, nor his mother. He is still a child. Still innocent, and I will do my best to preserve that for him. He should not be thrust into the difficulties of leadership until--and if--he wants to," Avad noted, voice tinged with memory.

"Of course," she agreed. "Not a word."

Avad straightened. He had to be strong for his people. And despite the trust he placed in Vanasha, he had to be strong in front of her, too. He could feel her lingering presence behind him, as if she had more to say.

"Is that all?"

"No, my King. There is...another matter. My sources tell me there has been an attack in the Sacred Land."

"The Nora have fallen victim as well?"

"Their numbers were depleted from the Eclipse attack, and then later the assault by Helis' men. The Nora have taken more than their share of beatings lately. Their numbers are down and with as insular as they are, it will take years to recover. However, when it comes to the Daemon, it would seem none of us are exempt," Vanasha agreed.

"Then we must send aid as they did for us," Avad insisted, turning to face her. The headdress he wore felt heavy, the burden of leadership clear.

Vanasha shifted her weight to her other leg, a conspicuous movement for someone so adept at hiding their true intentions. Avad did not miss the message.

"You disagree?"

"It's not that, exactly," Vanasha began. "It's that...tensions are still high between the Nora and ourselves. A temporary alliance does not heal all wounds. We both know the braves that assisted Meridian did so for Aloy, not for us."

"So what are you suggesting?" Avad asked, curiously.

"If anyone can help the Nora, it's her."

"You know how she feels about them," Avad said simply. "To say their relationship is...strained, would be putting it mildly. She won't like it."

"No, your Radiance, she won't."

\------

"But I have to go, little Thrush," Talanah explained. "The Sun is nearly at mid-morning. I have to get to the Lodge before the next hunt commences."

Aloy playfully whined her protest, but let the Sun-Hawk go, fingertips trailing along the dark-haired woman's arm. The girl kissed Talanah goodbye. "See you tonight?" she asked hopefully.

"Are you kidding?" Talanah retorted. "After last night? You _can't keep me away,_ " she said, smirking. 

Aloy blushed intensely, sinking lower into the cotton sheets. She'd never felt so relaxed, carefree, _safe,_ in her entire life. Talanah excused herself downstairs, quietly closing the main door behind her. 

The redhead rose slowly, taking her time in a way she'd rarely been afforded. She stretched languidly, reaching for fresh clothing and headed for the bathroom, taking the time to indulge. She heated the water in the basin using a small Blaze-powered furnace and began the process of untying her braids. She mixed some perfumed Carja oil into the warm water--it was decadent. Luxurious, even. Aloy had so rarely allowed herself such moments, even when they were readily available in Meridian. But somehow being with Talanah had made her feel like she'd earned the moment. Had earned the right to care for herself. 

The water soothed her skin and the oils tamed her hair. She began humming to herself, something she couldn't quite place, but was sure she knew the melody to. When she finished, she dried off with a soft towel and slipped into comfortable Carja silks. As she exited back into the main living area, she jumped in surprise to find Elisabet had just arrived.

The older woman smiled, taking in the sight of Aloy--more at ease than she'd ever known the girl. Something about her seemed lighter. Younger. Happier. "So I take it you had a good time last night, huh?" Elisabet teased.

Aloy blushed all the way up to her ears, though the Nora were not known to be prudish about such things, it was still so foreign to her to have any sort of intimate relationship to discuss the successes or failures of. "You could say that," she retorted slyly. 

Elisabet gently patted the girl's arm. "Good for you, kiddo. I like Talanah. She has my seal of approval," the older woman joked.

Aloy stiffened for a moment. She'd never asked for Elisabet's blessing, and yet it appeared she had it anyway. It gave her a sense of relief she didn't realized she'd needed.

"I'm sorry," Elisabet began, "was that the wrong thing to say? I didn't mean that you had to get my permission or anything. I just like her. She's good for you. By the looks of it, she makes you happy."

Aloy smiled softly. "No need to be sorry. It's true that Nora women don't need any permission, though a mother's blessing is usually considered high praise," she explained. "I'm glad you like her. I do too."

"Oh I can tell," Elisabet smirked knowingly, raising one eyebrow. "You're practically glowing."

"You're one to talk, _Mother,_ " Aloy shot back jokingly.

Elisabet sheepishly grazed the back of her hair with her hand. "Yeah," she laughed, "I guess I am."

Aloy smiled at her openly and Elisabet couldn't help but feel her heart melt just a bit at the sight. It meant so much to her that the girl was happy--that she was finally getting to experience life as something other than a warrior or savior or predestined hero. 

"Let me go get ready for the day and then we'll do something together, how's that sound?" Elisabet asked. And for once, she felt lighter too, ready to spend time without the adrenaline of impending crisis. 

The girl nodded and finished re-braiding her hair. She slipped on her Focus while the older woman walked down the steps to her bedroom.

"She is correct, you know," GAIA chimed in.

"About what?" 

"You do seem happier, my child," the AI noted. "And I am grateful for it."

Aloy grinned as her fingers continued to braid and tie beads back into her hair. 

"Do...do you like her, GAIA?"

"Are you seeking my approval, Aloy?" the AI asked softly.

"It's...like I said earlier. Permission isn't needed...but a mother's blessing...well, you know. And I never want you to feel like I value your opinion any less," the girl explained.

Though she couldn't see it, Aloy swore she could _feel_ GAIA's smile through the Focus. The AI vocalized a deep intake of breath, swelling with pride. "Of course you have my blessing, Aloy. Talanah is capable, kind, and loyal to you in ways I find quite pleasing. I would not speak so highly of her if I felt that she had mistreated my daughter in any way."

The huntress smiled deeply, eyes closing for just a moment as she listened to GAIA speak so fondly of her. She idly wondered if she'd ever get tired of being so doted on by her mothers, if it would ever feel old or overdone. For so many years she'd hoped for this very feeling, this contentment that had always eluded her. 

She was shaken from her thoughts when Elisabet reached the top of the stairs in a change of clothes, a set of white colored Carja cottons with green accents at the shoulders and legs that set off her eyes and hair. 

"Hm," Elisabet said, "it's late and I don't know about you but I haven't eaten yet. I'm starving."

"Yeah, me too."

"What do you say to brunch?"

Aloy screwed up her face in scrutiny. "What's... _brunch?_ "

\------

The spread before them was impressive: breads, fruit preserves, honey, cheeses. Drinks that were some kind of fruit juice mixture with just a hint of alcohol. It would have been trendy even a thousand years prior, Elisabet thought. And for just a moment, she recalled a youthful time in her life when she might have been tempted to take a picture for the old social feeds.

"And this? This is what you're talking about? _Brunch?_ " Aloy asked, incredulously.

"Yeah, it was this fun, decadent thing to do at the end of the week with friends. You ate, you had bottomless mimosas. I mean, it could get pretentious as hell, but it was generally a good time."

The two were seated at a outdoor eatery just within Meridian Village, where several small tables were set outside. Colored silks hung from the overhead canopy that jutted out to cover the guests from the worst of the valley's heat. It was quaint and somewhat upscale compared to the rest of the area. It was a good thing that whatever exact account the Sun-King kept in Aloy's name, it seemed to be bottomless.

"It seems...so...frivolous?" Aloy said, unconvinced. "And it was to celebrate just living through another week?"

"Hey kiddo, don't knock the virtues of the weekend," Elisabet chided sarcastically.

"The week...end?"

Elisabet smiled at her, more amused than sad, "Once we get these sub-functions sorted out, I've got _a lot_ to teach you."

Aloy leaned in. "Really?" she asked, eyes betraying just how much she enjoyed the idea of learning more about the Old Ones from Elisabet herself. 

"Of course. It's a promise."

The girl's eyes cast downward a moment as she considered. "Does it disappoint you?"

Elisabet's face screwed up in confusion. "Does what disappoint me?"

"That I must seem so ignorant to you? My life so...primitive?" the girl explained, her face betraying that she'd wondered for some time. 

The older woman grabbed her hand gently. "Hey," she began, "you are _anything but ignorant._ None of you are. The Carja aren't. Petra isn't. In fact, in so many ways your peoples are incredibly advanced if you compared the timelines of our civilizations. And you? I've told you this before. _You are smart._ GAIA, some help here?"

"Aloy," the AI chimed in, "the fact that you are so readily able to understand my own workings, even on a basic level, without having been given any formal education on the subject is impressive."

A small smile crossed her lips at the praise she received. It was so... _new._ So _pleasant._

"Besides," Elisabet quipped, "I'll just teach you nonsense like useless trivia for old vids that don't exist anymore. We both know it's GAIA who will teach you anything _actually useful._ "

Aloy and the older woman laughed easily, GAIA's own amusement reaching their ears through their Focuses as they ate. Aloy felt secure, at ease, loved. _Happy._

She wondered how long it would last.

\------

"Excuse me! Aloy? Aloy of the Nora?"

The young male messenger ran to Aloy's side as she and Elisabet sauntered down the streets of Meridian Village. 

"Uh, that's me," the huntress confirmed. "Though I don't really...I'm not...I don't really belong to the Nora. Not truly," she clarified. "I uh--I go by Aloy Sobeck these days," she continued, looking at Elisabet for confirmation that it was indeed okay to use the family name. _Elisabet's name. Her name._

Elisabet beamed proudly, doing the best to hide the small lump in her throat as the girl made her declaration. She squeezed Aloy's hand in support and unabashed love while GAIA whispered something reassuring in her ear.

"Sun and shadow, I apologize for addressing you incorrectly. I come bearing a message from his Radiance, the Sun-King," the young man said. 

Aloy raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"

"He has asked for your presence at the palace. I was given no further details except to tell you it is urgent and of the utmost importance."

Aloy sighed heavily, the carefree smile from earlier all but gone. She'd known it would catch up to her eventually--that the threat of HEPHAESTUS and the violence of her life would return. She felt her shoulders sink. She had almost, _almost_ believed it could last. Elisabet didn't miss the crestfallen look on the girl's face, knowing all too well that Aloy had more than paid her fair share of blood and loss and battle and here she couldn't help but wish the girl's days of fighting were over. 

The messenger left just as quickly as he had appeared and Elisabet squeezed Aloy's shoulder lightly, urging the girl to turn and face her.

"Hey kiddo, whatever it is, we'll manage it, okay? GAIA and I are with you all the way."

\------

Aloy tentatively approached the throne, Elisabet, Marad, and Vanasha waiting in the distance. 

"You asked for me? Must be pretty important if you sent a messenger."

"Indeed it is, Aloy. I regret having to disturb you and your mother. Sun forgive me, I know you're making up for lost time," he said, sympathetically.

The girl faltered for a moment. It was true, after all, and she wasn't eager to do anything that would jeopardize being with Elisabet.

Avad lowered his voice, turning to the huntress. "We've been receiving reports of the Daemon's machine attacks," he explained.

Aloy looked surprised, and almost guilty.

"It's all right, Aloy. I did not expect you to know. In fact, I made Vanasha and Marad swear not to inform you or your mother while you recovered. You deserved that much. Meridian owed you the time, as did I."

"But Avad--"

"For a time, it was...manageable. We sent the recipe for Elisabet's cure along the trade routes, spreading the information through the Sundom. But the attacks are becoming more frequent and now..."

"Tell me, Avad. What happened?"

"It's the Nora, Aloy. They've suffered another attack."

Aloy felt her stomach drop and chest go hollow. She wanted to protest, wanted it to be wrong. No. She didn't care about them, not really. Maybe Varl. Sona. Teersa. Teb. But the Nora as a whole? She'd tried so hard _not to care._ Not to remember how they'd shunned her. How they'd had the audacity to worship her after the fact. How Resh had taken any opportunity to insult her. But...they didn't deserve this. They'd already been attacked so many times. No tribe deserved such suffering.

Her eyes watered but she said nothing, standing resolutely.

"I know your...relationship with them is complicated," Avad offered softly. "But they are struggling, their numbers have dwindled in the last year, and they need help and protection from someone who knows this enemy."

Anger rose in Aloy's chest. "So why say this to me? You've got an entire army at your disposal. If you wanted to send an envoy to ensure their safety, it could be anyone."

Avad rose slowly and placed a hand on her shoulder. "But they would not be _you,_ " he said. "I inquired with Vanasha and our scouts have not made it as far as the Sacred Land to distribute the cure to the Nora. We did not dare disturb an already tenuous truce and the Daemonbane is difficult to source, but without it, you know how they will fare. They do not yet understand the threat of the Daemon, isolated as they are. We believe you are the help they'll accept."

A frown formed on Aloy's face. "They didn't _accept_ me until they _needed_ me," she said, ruefully.

Avad's face softened. He understood what it was like to be simultaneously worshipped and reviled in equal fashion by different factions of your people. "The choice, of course, is yours, Aloy. Surely, there are some Nora whom you care for."

The huntress swallowed and cast her eyes down, guilt gnawing at her. 

"You don't have to say anything now," Avad offered. "Take some time time to think about it. And if you choose to go to the Sacred Land, I will make any resource you need available."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound ungrateful. You've done so much for me, and your offer to help the Nora is...generous," Aloy admitted.

Avad smiled. "Aloy, I know what it is to be uneasy among your people. To know there is a stain on your past. But I trust that there is part of you that seeks closure with the Nora. And, perhaps now that you have been reunited with your mother, you will be able to heal those wounds," he suggested.

"Thank you, Avad," Aloy said, "I hadn't...hadn't really considered that."

"Go in light, Aloy."

\------

"Whatever you choose, I'll support," Elisabet said softly, her hand lightly stroking along the girl's back.

Aloy had spent the last several minutes explaining the situation to the older woman, expressing her distress over whether or not to go. The two were perched on Elisabet's bed in the lower level of the apartment.

GAIA sat on the girl's opposite side, her shimmering hand resting lightly on Aloy's shoulder, her thumb running circles over the pale skin, listening intently.

"Do you not want to go back?" Elisabet asked.

"I...didn't ever think I'd have to," Aloy admitted. "They _shunned_ me for not having a mother. Children threw rocks at me, adults hurled insults. _I was never one of them,_ " she said through gritted teeth, anger bubbling just beneath the surface.

"But some of them came to your aid to defeat HADES, correct?" GAIA asked gently.

"Some," Aloy replied. "Some did. Varl. Sona. Teb. A few others."

"Are they not worthy of your assistance?" GAIA countered. 

"I know it's hard, baby girl. Do you think I wanted to help _Ted_ in any way? I hated him for how he'd treated me. For what he'd done. But my help was bigger than him. It was bigger than myself," Elisabet explained. 

Aloy's eyes brimmed with angry tears. Elisabet was right, however much she desperately wanted her not to be. The older woman continued the automatic motion of her palm against the girl's back, trying to imbue her with a sense of stability, of support.

"They _hurt_ me in ways I--I can't...I can't..." Aloy choked, swallowing the lump in her throat. Elisabet pulled her in close, easing the girl's head onto her shoulder while GAIA appeared to wrap an arm around the younger woman's waist in embrace. The AI squeezed her eyes tight, Focus scans telling her just how distressed her daughter was, down to a physiological level.

"If I may," GAIA offered, her voice barely above a whisper, "it could be beneficial to return, Aloy, however painful it may be for you. Not just for the Nora, but for our own aims as well."

Aloy wiped at her eyes, a sound her in throat asking what exactly the AI meant. 

"I know you have been healing, child, and so I have not mentioned anything that would distress you. However, I have been effectively blind to these attacks. The machines under HEPHAESTUS' control are outside my ability to monitor through MINERVA. What you have told me disturbs me greatly, and is only more evidence that we must continue the fight to reclaim my sub-functions and restore order to the terraforming system. I wish so deeply that your role in this conflict could be over. You deserve that and more."

"What's in the Sacred Land, GAIA? How does going there help us? I'm not understanding," Elisabet said.

"You have seen that most of my facilities are in disrepair, Elisabet. Whether due to lack of need, the old shackles of Ted's interference, or loss of information after the erasure of APOLLO. For some time now, I have believed that the best way to regain control of the remaining sub-functions would be through engineering a virus. One that would bind them again to me, a deconstruction of the signal that freed them in the first place. Normally, I would have suggested the facilities at Prime for this, but they are still under extensive repair and may remain that way for a few years."

"So you're suggesting...?" 

"The Cradle where Aloy was born is one of my most intact locations. After all, it did successfully conceive her," she said, smiling warmly. "The systems there could theoretically be used to craft the virus and connect to the Cauldrons. Even if HEPHAESTUS does not have control of all of the remaining sub-functions, we would still stand a far greater chance of taking it and HADES back by using the connections there."

Elisabet felt the girl shudder at the mention of the Cradle. She knew it didn't come from a place of revulsion--not anymore--but rather the pain of a youth spent in exile for her origins there. 

Aloy was silent for a few minutes, the three saying nothing while the girl's two mothers simply listened to her breathe, each of them hesitant to push the younger woman into more violence.

Finally, the huntress spoke. "I just...I-I almost thought-"

"-That it could be over," Elisabet finished, nodding her cheek against Aloy's hair. 

The girl vocalized something in the affirmative, a whine building in her chest. Why did she have to fight every battle? Hadn't she earned peace? Hadn't _nearly dying_ qualified her to live her life with her loved ones without more blood on her hands? But she knew, in the end, that what Avad had said was right--that if the Nora were going to receive help, it was best provided by herself.

"We will support whatever you decide, Aloy," GAIA said softly. "I cannot know the depth of your suffering at the hands of the Nora's customs...but I love you and I am convinced there are many members of the tribe who do as well--who love you and all that entails, whether you held the title of 'outcast' or 'Anointed'. Those who love you exactly as you are."

Elisabet carded through the girl's hair and held her tightly as silent tears dripped down her cheek.

Rost's words rang in her head: _"I never said the tribe wouldn't need you."_

She squeezed Elisabet's hand, the older woman returning the gesture immediately. 

She knew it deep down, there was never any other way.

It was just like a Sobeck not to be able to say no.

\------

"Fire and spit, Lis, you're going _to the Sacred Land?_ " Petra asked.

Elisabet nodded, her fingers intertwined with the Oseram's as they sat together on the dark-haired woman's couch. The redhead hadn't exactly been thrilled at the idea of leaving Meridian for a place that she knew caused Aloy so much pain, but she knew that burning need to _help_ inside Aloy was just as strong as her own. She was proud, really, and she had to admit she was curious about the tribe that had raised her daughter, for better or worse.

"She's not happy about it. It took her two days to commit to telling Avad yes," Elisabet replied. "And I don't blame her, given everything she's told me. But...from what I can tell, they're good people--just...scared. Superstitious. It doesn't make them less worthy of our help."

Petra stroked Elisabet's thumb with her own. "Maybe this will be good for her."

"What do you mean?"

"Well she was cast out for not having a mother, right?" Petra asked. "So imagine how vindicated she'll feel when she shows up _with two._ By the forge, I'd pay a pretty shard just to see the looks on their faces."

Elisabet leaned in to Petra, her arm wrapped closer around the woman's shoulder. "...You're not coming, are you? I know it would be a lot to ask."

Petra inhaled deeply before answering. "Even if the Nora weren't as isolationist as they are, the Free Heap needs me. I've been away for something like six weeks. I have to go back. I have duties to them. Besides, all of these Carja frills are making me soft," she joked.

Elisabet had known the answer even before she asked. She understood what it was to be a leader that people couldn't go without. Who was needed. Who had responsibilities. Petra tucked strands of red behind Elisabet's ear, gently letting the pads of her fingers trail the woman's jaw. 

"There's only one thing that could ever keep me in Meridian permanently, anyway," she said softly.

"What's that?"

"You."

Elisabet choked on the lump in her throat, knowing what it meant that Petra would ever willingly leave Free Heap for her. "I'll stay in touch over the Focus network. You'll know where we are every step of the way," she assured.

Petra pushed Elisabet back just enough to look her in the eyes. "You promise me you're coming back," she said. A statement, not a question.

Elisabet nodded, swallowing.

Petra let her forehead rest against Elisabet's. "And you promise me that girl of yours makes it back too. Promise you'll come back to me."

Elisabet squeezed her eyes shut, feeling Petra's hand at the nape of her neck. She nodded imperceptibly. 

"No," Petra whispered, her voice low. "I need you to say it, _Elisabet._ " 

_Elisabet._

Not Lis.

Not for this.

"I promise," the redhead whispered. And she meant it as much as she'd ever meant anything. Petra helped ground her to this new world. Had helped save Aloy. Had helped restore GAIA. 

"I love you," Petra breathed. 

The Oseram kissed her with a desperation Elisabet had never seen, one that told her everything the dark-haired woman could not: how terrified she was to lose her, and how badly the she wished the redhead didn't have to go. 

If this was their last night for some time to come, Petra was determined to make it memorable, kissing Elisabet again intensely, hands vying for her like she was the last thing the Oseram would ever touch.

Petra would never admit to anyone the tears rolling down her cheeks.

\------

Talanah laid against the huntress' ribs, her ear to the girl's chest. The hum of the girl's voice as she shakily explained her decision to the Sun-Hawk was soothing, even if it wasn't what she wanted to hear. It was reassuring to listen to the constant pulse that meant Aloy was still here. Still present. Still alive. Her fingers trailed up the redhead's wrist, finding a similar rhythm, any point of contact welcome. The two were wearing soft sleep clothes, lying across Aloy's bed, the apartment theirs alone after Elisabet had departed to tell Petra her own version of recent events.

"Of course you're going," Talanah said finally, having listened to Aloy's justifications, as if she needed them.

The huntress stroked her hand through the Sun-Hawk's dark hair. "What do you mean?" she asked. 

Talanah smiled softly to hear the consistent vibration of Aloy's voice in her bones. "By the Sun, there's a light in you. One that shines brightest in the dark. You lead others with it. You help them. It's part of you and you can't say no, no matter how much you wish you could."

Aloy's hand trailed down the other woman's back, not eager to face however long it would be without her.

"I have to do this," the redhead said finally. 

"I know you do."

"And I'm sorry," Aloy added.

"For what?"

"For having to leave."

The two paused a few beats, the silence between them thick and enveloping. 

Finally, Talanah spoke: "I'm coming with you."

She felt Aloy's breath hitch beneath her. "Y-you can't," the girl argued. "What about the Lodge?"

"The Lodge knows how to hunt, whether I'm there or not. And with my powers as Sun-Hawk, I'm within full rights to install a temporary leader in my absence. I wouldn't be the first to take a sabbatical for my own personal mission--I'm sure his Radiance can be convinced that a single emissary on behalf of the Carja would be instrumental in maintaining the peace between us. Especially someone close with _the Anointed,_ " she joked gently. "Besides, you're _my_ Thrush, and I promised I'd never abandon you."

"You wouldn't be abandoning me," Aloy said softly. "It's not like I haven't been on my own before. And I'll have my mothers with me."

"But you wouldn't have _me,_ " Talanah breathed, her grip on Aloy's wrist suddenly much stronger. "A-and the last time I let you out of my sight, by the Sun, you nearly _died._ " She buried her face in the soft clothes and skin of the girl beneath her. "I would sooner let myself burn under its judgment than leave you again."

Talanah could feel Aloy's pulse pick up at the notion. "You'd come...knowing most of the Nora fall somewhere between hating my existence and worshipping me?"

The dark-haired woman kissed at her collarbone. "That's _exactly_ why I'd come. To support you. I know it won't be easy to be back there, even with your mothers."

Aloy swallowed thickly. Talanah was right. It wouldn't be. In fact, she'd dreaded it for so long, her stomach was in knots and had been since speaking with Avad. She didn't want to have to face the tribe again. After Varl, Sona, Teb and the others had left Meridian, she had figured it might be the last time she'd see them. She knew that for all that had happened, she was not one of them. She was Aloy _despite_ the Nora, not _of_ them. 

"Thank you," Aloy said breathlessly, almost too quiet to hear.

"Not even the Sun itself could stop me," Talanah vowed, letting her weight sink into the girl's ribs.

Somehow Aloy knew it was true.

\------

The arrangements with the Lodge had been made, the supplies packed, and the striders overridden for the lengthy trek back to the Sacred Land. The gray dawn was cold in the desert, but it wasn't the reason for Aloy's shudder as she swallowed down her anxieties over her return and the battles against HEPHAESTUS yet to come. 

Talanah gripped her hand reassuringly, the dark-haired woman wearing simple and sturdy Carja traveling clothes, free of the more ornate decor her position usually afforded her. It was best, really, to keep a low profile, even if the Sun-King had given her his blessing to represent their tribe officially. Better not to stir up suspicion if any scouts caught sight of her before Aloy could explain. 

Talanah's palm was warm in her own and gave her the courage to move past her paralyzing nervousness, packing the last of their things on the docile striders that GAIA had provided for them. 

Petra embraced Elisabet at the edge of the city gates, her grip strong and unyielding. Neither wanted to part from the other, but both understood the position the other was in. 

"Hammer to steel, you keep your promise, Lis."

"I will, Petra," Elisabet said quietly. "I will. I'll call you by Focus when we get there."

After what seemed like several minutes, the Oseram finally pulled herself away, discreetly wiping at her eyes. 

"I'm off to the Free Heap," Petra replied. "But as soon as you're on your way back to Meridian, you let me know and I'll come running faster than you can say forge-fire. And who knows," she continued, smiling sheepishly, "maybe next time I won't go back. I could stand to be persuaded," she teased.

Elisabet leaned in to whisper close, her voice a mix of flirtation and sadness. "Then I'll have to come up with a _compelling_ argument."

"I'm pretty sure you could compel me to do just about anything, Lis," Petra said, putting on a brave face and kissing her deeply. She turned toward the Sun-Hawk. "You take care of these girls and bring them back safe, you hear me Talanah?"

"You have my word," Talanah replied, hoisting herself up and over the side of the strider. 

Elisabet soon joined her, swinging her leg over the side of her own machine, her arms wrapped around Aloy who was already mounted in front. She scanned the area one last time, knowing that in just a few days, the scenery would be that of the familiar Embrace. Her nerves were on edge, but Elisabet gave her a quick squeeze of reassurance while GAIA encouraged her through her Focus. 

She nudged the strider forward with her knees, Talanah following closely. Together they galloped off into the east. Onward toward the heart of Nora territory.

Into the _Sacred Land._


	13. The Embrace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a treat for your long Labor Day weekend! 
> 
> Don't worry, lots of Sacred Land fun and drama will continue--we'll be here for a little while. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The trio had arrived just as the last rays of sun glittered into the horizon and dusk began to settle deeply into the Embrace. It was done at the huntress' insistence--it would be easier at night. Less questions. Less prying eyes. Less whispers as they settled in.

Aloy had allowed the tamed striders to go a few minutes prior, not eager to stir up any more Nora controversies than she was already likely to bring by her mere presence alone. The three stood, overlooking Mother's Heart. It was largely rebuilt from the damage inflicted by Helis' men, but the bustle of activity that usually permeated the settlement was notably dampened. It had been nearly a year since Aloy had returned to Nora lands. She hadn't really looked back since leaving All-Mother mountain for the battle of Meridian. 

She never thought she'd have to.

Talanah pulled her cloak tight around her shoulders, feeling exposed without her tell-tale Carja armor. She'd kept it off so as not to arouse suspicions until Aloy could explain everything. It was the smart move, she knew. But it didn't change how awkward she felt. 

She couldn't imagine what it felt like for Aloy.

The Sun-Hawk watched a few paces back as the muscles of Aloy's throat constricted, the redhead swallowing thickly with nerves. Her shiver had little to do with quickly-encroaching autumn. Her brain wouldn't stop firing, every worry she'd ever had bubbling to the surface, just under her sternum. What would her mother and Talanah think of her humble beginnings? A tribe she had never even truly been part of? Would they judge her? Look down upon her? Aloy knew objectively that these anxieties weren't giving either woman enough credit, but she couldn't help the fear as it crept in and coiled low in her belly--content to stay.

Elisabet walked forward, placing her hand warmly on the girl's bicep, her chin on the girl's shoulder in a deeply familial stance. 

"It's beautiful, Aloy," Elisabet said softly, and she meant it. The cabins in the distance reminded her of a retreat in Aspen she'd once stayed in with her then-boyfriend. It had been the closest Elisabet would let herself get to truly extravagant. At least the cabins had reminded her of the ranch. When everyday was spent in the sterile offices of FAS, she'd needed a little nature--the crunch of snow under her feet.

Aloy remained stiff under her grip and the older woman could sense the tension rolling off of her. As they'd gotten closer and closer to the Embrace, Elisabet had noticed how Aloy had grown quieter, more forlorn. She knew there was history here--most of it deeply traumatic--but she would do her best to provide what comfort she could. Would do her best to protect the girl in the only way she could.

But Elisabet was no fool--she knew the moment she entered the village with Aloy there would be rumors. There would be talk of the girl who they believed to come from the mountain motherless--who had now suddenly arrived with a woman who was undeniably her blood. "I can remove the braids if you want," the older woman offered. She knew what they meant to the girl, but didn't wish to cause her any discomfort.

Aloy twisted quickly to face the woman, her hand instantly reaching for Elisabet's own, the grip strong but not without a nervous shake to it. Her eyes were wide with a desperation Elisabet hadn't expected. "N-no. No, _please,_ " Aloy begged. "Don't take them out. I-I need them to see."

"You're sure?" Elisabet asked. "I don't want to make any of this worse for you. I'm sure it's hard enough."

Aloy's grip held to her like letting go would mean Elisabet would evaporate from existence. There was a real fear there, and Elisabet's chest ached as she recognized it. "I _need_ them to see," the girl reiterated. "I-I know it'll cause questions. I'll...I'll figure it out. But...I can't do this without you. I need you to be _mine._ I need you to be my mother," she half-begged, lip quivering slightly.

"Always, kiddo."

The three trudged forward slowly through the woods, Aloy calling out in a whisper to her Focus. 

"GAIA?"

"I am here, child. Your biometrics indicate distress," the AI noted.

"You uh...you could say that," Aloy admitted. 

"I am with you, Aloy. I know you can do this. You will face them with poise and grace, I am certain. _My daughter_ can do anything," GAIA asserted.

Aloy blushed with the compliment. "I-I'm sorry," she began. "But I'll need you to avoid projections if we aren't inside the Cradle. Can't risk the Nora finding out and things getting...violent. I hope you don't...don't think I'm ashamed of you or anything."

The girl could nearly hear the smile in GAIA's voice. "My child, I _know_ you. And I do not take any offense. I am just glad Elisabet can be physically there when I cannot. But I am always with you. Do not worry. I will not reveal myself unless it is a last resort that can assist you."

"About that," Aloy said hesitantly, "you know they think you're a literal goddess, right?"

"I am aware," GAIA smirked into the Focus.

"What if I...needed you to play that role? Would you do it?" Aloy questioned. "I don't want you to have to, but..."

"But it may be the simplest explanation. A kindness not to shatter seven hundred years of culture all at once," GAIA finished.

"...Yes," Aloy breathed. "I told CYAN the same with Aratak and the Banuk. To ease them into understanding. Slowly. Very slowly."

"Your judgment is most sound, Aloy. I believe it would be...the most beneficial way to temper their beliefs and our goals. Besides," the AI noted with a chuckle, "I must admit their beliefs regarding my role and the Cradle's purpose are still surprisingly accurate, in a manner of speaking. I would do anything for you, child. You know that."

"Thank you, GAIA," Aloy said warmly.

The three continued, their pace slowed by the weight of their packs until coming to the gate that led to Mother's Heart. To their surprise, they were greeted by a Lesser Matriarch. Aloy struggled to remember the woman's name. Was it...Jana? Yes, that seemed right.

"The Anointed graces us with her presence," Jana said solemnly, taking a small bow. "I am Lesser Matriarch Jana. May I inquire what brings you back to the Sacred Land?" she asked.

"You knew I was coming?" Aloy asked, confused.

Jana gave a small smile. "A scout spotted you shortly before you arrived," she explained. She noted Aloy's look of discomfort. "Do not worry, child, I have sworn the scout to silence. It's no secret that you are not like most Nora. I know of your desire for independence, for discretion. I found your appeal to help Meridian and to cast off your title admirable. And you shall have your secrets, at least for tonight, before the High Matriarchs catch wind in the morning."

"Thank you," Aloy breathed. 

"But you have still not answered my question," Jana noted. "Please, understand, I have no doubts as to your intentions but I can see you come with guests. And with the last year of attacks, both man and machine, we cannot leave anything to chance. I must know for the sake of the tribe's safety, before I permit you in."

Aloy's lips set into a thin line. She could give an abbreviated version, she supposed. It would be good enough for tonight. Enough to get them to a cabin and warm beds. "We came at the behest of the Sun-King, after hearing of the attacks by the Daemon's machines. We offer help and medicine."

A smile warmed Jana's face, traveling up to her eyes. "Then you have come back to us? To help? We are most honored."

Aloy nodded. "This is Talanah Khane Padish," she said, introducing the dark-haired woman next to her. "Sun-Hawk of the Hunter's Lodge, she is an envoy from the Carja Sundom. She comes in peace, and to help the tribe fight off the machines." Talanah bowed slightly, offering greeting and a reassuring smile. 

Jana glanced down, noting how the woman intertwined her fingers with Aloy's. She cast a wry look at the huntress. "I can already tell she is very _special_ to you."

Aloy swallowed tensely and nodded, squeezing Talanah's hand tighter. 

"And this is--"

Elisabet stepped to her opposite side, finally raising her gaze to meet Jana's, her hair fiery in the last rays of sunset, her features mirroring the younger girl exactly. Jana didn't miss the braids or the beads, gasping as her hand shot to her mouth.

"--Your _mother!_ " Jana finished, astonished. 

Aloy nodded again in confirmation and Elisabet took a possessive stance, her palm firmly around the huntress' shoulder. An animal-like growl sat at the back of her throat, begging to be loosed upon anyone who might bring harm to the girl. 

"I don't understand...you came from the Womb of the Mountain, you are of the _Goddess,_ " Jana insisted, clearly trying to vocalize her own confusion as a way to reassure herself.

Aloy stiffed beneath Elisabet's palm, her fingers laced with Talanah's, knuckles white. She’d been bracing herself for this. Had rehearsed what she'd planned to say in her head. At least for now. At least until she could explain to Teersa. The last thing she needed was Jana running off to tell Lansra or Resh and starting a commotion.

"What you've heard is true," Aloy began tersely. "And what you see before you now is also the truth. When I was last inside All-Mother mountain, you know the Goddess spoke to me. Told me to defeat HADES. She said that when the Shadow was slain, I could then find my earthly mother. The Goddess created me in her image. From her blood."

"She most certainly did," Jana agreed, stepping forward for a closer look. She tilted her headdress up, as if it would help her understand. "And though the Goddess created you, this woman is still your mother?"

"My name is Elisabet," the older woman interjected, trying to take the scrutiny off of Aloy. "I come with the recipe to cure the Daemon's poison. And yes, I am her mother. By _blood,_ " she nearly snarled, just barely keeping the edge out of her voice.

Jana's lined face betrayed that she didn't quite believe it, but was still glad to hear medicine was on the way. "You did not carry the girl?"

Elisabet's jaw was set. "No," she said coolly, eyes ablaze. "I didn't."

Jana's brow furrowed as she regarded the three. "And yet she is undoubtedly of your heart," she said knowingly. "I'm not blind, I can see she's yours by the way you move. I have no doubt you'd strike me down right here if I so much as touched her," she said darkly. "And if the Anointed says it is so, then it is. I cannot pretend to know all of the ways and will of the Goddess. You must truly be favored by All-Mother if she selected you for this honor. It is truly a blessing that she has given you such a daughter. You must be proud."

Elisabet gave a smile that was equal parts sincere and dangerous. "I am. I would do _anything_ for her," the older woman asserted, knowing Jana would pick up on the subtle threat within.

"Of course you would," Jana tutted, finally appearing to give in. "Mother's Heart is honored to welcome the Anointed and her guests. I'm certain the _High Matriarchs_ will want to speak with you tomorrow. Let me show you to your lodge.”

The three were led to a large cabin, one clearly reserved for special guests or events--though it was clear there had been no such use for it in some time. Still, it was hospitable enough. Jana had ensured the beds were made and the fire lit. Something bubbled over the fire in a tin pot, the scent of root vegetables filling the air. 

"I hope this will be enough for tonight," Jana said. "As you can imagine, the Nora have not had much reason for hospitality or special events recently, but to house the Anointed is surely a blessing from All-Mother." The Matriarch had a wry smirk on her face, and Aloy found herself discomfited by the notion that she couldn't read the woman's intentions very clearly. Much like Teersa, her authority seemed wrapped in a veneer of kindness, though there was no denying part of her was uncomfortable with the revelation Elisabet's presence brought.

"Thank you," Talanah said, stepping in to ease the unspoken tension between the Jana and the redheads. "On behalf of the Sundom, and Sun-King Avad, I am grateful for the welcome. I hope our presence can help continue to reestablish trust and trade between our two tribes."

Jana only nodded curtly, excusing herself while closing the door behind her. Somehow, Aloy felt the pit in her stomach only deepen.

"So that went...well?" Elisabet asked, her voice lilting up at the end.

"I'm not sure," Aloy said, sullen.

"Thrush, you just told that woman that despite being a daughter of the Nora goddess you also have a mortal mother. I know plenty of Sun-Priests who wouldn't have been able to handle such a blow to their beliefs," Talanah offered.

"I feel like they never trust me," Aloy complained. "When I'm useful to them, they worship me. But the moment I stand out from tradition, they suspect me. They _fear_ me."

Talanah gently patted Aloy's arm, her thumb brushing along the muscle and sinew there, her support silent but solid. 

"This is quite extravagant for a Nora lodge, isn't it?" Talanah asked. "I've heard stories. Don't most sleep in communal bunk houses?" She was changing the subject for Aloy's benefit, but the Sun-Hawk also suspected Elisabet would want to know.

"...Yes," Aloy said softly. "Nora without mates often sleep in bunk houses together. Mated pairs take their own lodge, but even then they aren't usually this big."

It was true, the lodge they were afforded was lavish by any Nora standard. The interior was rich, warm woods and leather, fur skins and rugs. The fireplace was large and roaring, beating back the near-autumn chill that had begun to creep into the east. Elisabet looked around, realizing there were two separate rooms. She quickly walked through the first, finding a bed layered with quilts and skins for comfort, a small side table and shelves against the wall. The main living area featured a table and chairs, clearly for the dual purposes of dining and lounging. 

The older woman finally returned to where Aloy remained planted at the entrance, leaning forward and giving her a quick kiss at her hairline. "Hey kiddo, I know a lot happened here for you. I know. But...this seems like the Nora are being particularly charitable. Let's take them at face value until we see otherwise. We're going to have to play nice if there's any chance of getting all of us in the Cradle to work on the virus. Try to relax. Talanah's here. I'm here. And we're not going to let anything happen to you."

Aloy closed her eyes for a few seconds, letting Elisabet's soothing words wash over her.

She knew she could take care of herself, as deeply uncomfortable as she was.

It was her mother and Talanah she worried about.

\------

The three sat around the table, bowls full of the stew-like concoction that had bubbled over the fire. Elisabet thought it was quite good, the tender yams and carrots reminding her of something an old girlfriend had made her once, saying something about it being perfect for cooler weather. Talanah too, seemed satisfied enough.

"I've never had Nora food," Talanah noted to Aloy. "It's...a lot heavier than Carja fare, but I like it," she said, taking another bite.

Aloy picked at her meal, still clearly stressed just by being where she was. "Rost's was better," she lamented. "I miss it."

Talanah's fingers crept over Aloy's hand and she leaned in to the girl sweetly. "I'd love to try it sometime," she offered. "You can show me what it's really like."

A small and fleeting smile crossed the girl's lips, but as soon anyone blinked, it was gone again. Elisabet frowned slightly. She could tell Talanah was doing her best to raise Aloy's spirits--so was she. And yet nothing seemed to help. It was possible nothing would, she considered. Maybe the damage was too deep. She hated feeling like she had forced Aloy here, and yet it seemed to be the best path forward if they were going to be successful. 

"So what's our plan?" Elisabet asked. "I know you don't want to be here any longer than we have to, Aloy. I understand. But if that's the case, we need to lay out exactly what needs to be done so we can do it and go."

For the first time all day, Aloy lit up. If planning was what was going to get her out of here faster, she was happy to do it.

"No matter what either of you think of Jana, I'm sure she's informed the High Matriarchs already--for good or ill," Aloy noted. "So I suspect tomorrow will mean managing them--at least for now."

"I can arrange teaching their healers how to brew the antidote for the poison," Elisabet offered.

"And I'll work with the braves to instruct them on how to handle these Daemonic machines. Just like the Hunter's Lodge," Talanah added. 

"We'll need to scout the area in the coming days and find out if there are more remaining in the Embrace," Aloy said, deadly serious. "And if there are, Talanah, you and I should take a war party to eliminate them. Whatever braves remain..."

Talanah squeezed her hand. "It will be done," she promised.

Elisabet swallowed thickly, not eager to see the girls hunting down machines again, flashes of Aloy's last injury plaguing her mind. The huntress seemed to notice, turning to her mother. "I'll be safe," she assured. "This time, Talanah will be with me."

The older woman felt herself exhale. "Okay, and what about getting in the Cradle? We'll need access, probably for several days."

"That...might have to come later. After we've proven we're here to help. It's their most sacred place and they won't let in foreigners easily," Aloy explained. She gritted her teeth, not looking forward to the inevitable argument.

Talanah looked at Aloy, studying her tense features, grasping the sadness behind them. "Is there...anything you'd like to show us? You know...for you?"

Aloy glanced up from the table in surprise, eyes ever so slightly glassy. "I uh...I'd...I'd like to go pay my respects to Rost. And if you two would want...I could show you where I grew up."

Elisabet's expression softened. "I'd love to, kiddo."

Talanah lightly raised Aloy's hand to lay a kiss on her knuckles. "I'll follow you anywhere. Sun and shadow, it would be my honor."

\------

The three had since retired to their separate rooms, Elisabet taking her own while Talanah and Aloy made for the other. The two had stripped off their travel clothes, opting for their Carja sleep cottons. It was far cooler than the Sundom, even at night, and so the two huddled together with a quilt drawn up over the both of them. Talanah's arm draped over Aloy's chest, feeling the tension in every muscle. The Sun-Hawk nuzzled her nose into the redhead's neck, breathing in the scent of her hair, faint traces of sandalwood lingering from week-old Carja oils. 

Talanah kissed at the throb in Aloy's throat, aware that her Thrush was struggling to sleep. 

"I've got you," Talanah assured quietly, snuggling in to press the girl closer to her body. "If you want to talk..."

She felt Aloy stiffen. "No," she began, "...I don't know. It's just...hard to describe what it's like to have 'home' be a place you were never welcome. Even now, they just barely accept me--and only because they believe I'm of the Goddess." She sighed, rightfully still uneasy.

The Sun-Hawk turned the huntress gently until she was on her back, kissing her softly along her jaw, trailing along her collarbone and ribs. Maybe there were other ways to lift her spirits. "Well," Talanah breathed against her skin, "they're kind of right," she said with a hint of humor in her voice.

Aloy remained silent, doing her best to ignore Talanah's roaming mouth as the Sun-Hawk pulled open the sleep shirt she wore, exposing more pale, freckled expanse for her to explore. As the dark-haired woman continued, Aloy finally breathed the smallest sigh of relief, sinew beginning to soften and tight joints beginning to unlock. She gulped as Talanah's attention began to take hold of her. "Oh yeah," she said, finally giving in, "how are they right?"

Talanah hummed against her skin, sending a tingle up Aloy's spine. "Hmm," she began, "one of your mothers _is_ their All-Mother, even if they don't understand it yet. You told me so yourself." She continued to tease, feeling as every knot in the redhead's body slowly unwound. 

"But she's..." Aloy started, catching her breath as Talanah nipped at her, "we know she's a...machine, not a goddess or spirit."

Talanah glanced up at her, breath low and heavy. "To the Banuk, that's one and the same. All a matter of perspective. Don't think for a moment that her role in the world is anything less than _divine,_ " she said, trailing her tongue down Aloy's sternum, eliciting a sound deep in her throat. 

The Sun-Hawk tugged off the last of Aloy's clothing as well as her own, leaving the two of them bare beneath the quilt that kept the cold of the night away. Talanah maneuvered herself directly on top of the redhead, chest to chest, her hips directly between Aloy's thighs. It was clear the dark-haired woman was winning the battle over the huntress' anxieties as Aloy pressed for contact. 

"You really think that?" Aloy asked, breathlessly.

"You are the stuff of miracles, little Thrush," Talanah replied. "How could I ever think otherwise?" Aloy pressed for contact again, but Talanah kept just enough distance, her hips just barely brushing against the redhead's skin. She smirked. She'd tease the other woman all night if it meant keeping her distracted from the terrible memories of her homeland.

"Well the Nora sure thought otherwise," Aloy said, though the tone in the redhead's voice had shifted--more amused than angry now.

Talanah looked at her straight in the eyes, drinking her in deeply, her tone more serious than it had been before. "Sun's Light, they were fools not to worship the ground you walk on from the beginning," she said, kissing her repeatedly.

"I _hate_ when they worship me," Aloy complained softly.

"Do you hate when _I worship you?_ " Talanah asked, part of her joking, part of her genuine. One hand trailed to Aloy's hip, searching for purchase, the other supported her weight, readying herself for what came next.

Aloy breathed raggedly against her, the two hot and eager as the quilt trapped the heat between them. "Oh you _worship_ me?" Aloy asked seductively, her eyes hooded, but the tension now gone from her.

"Every inch of you," Talanah replied, her tongue trailing up against the dull pink line that laid across the huntress' throat, causing Aloy to shudder pleasantly. "Scars and all." Suddenly, the Sun-Hawk gave the redhead what she'd been begging for, bucking her hips between the girl's thighs, a gasp escaping them both.

"Okay, I could get used to a little worship. Just from you," Aloy replied smugly, her usual confidence seeping back into her chest, the two now moving in tandem.

"Then I will spend the rest of my days making sure I am in my goddess' favor," Talanah breathed, rolling her hips again.

Aloy allowed a smile to cross her lips. 

Maybe she could stand to be worshipped. 

Just a little.

\------

Morning came faster than Aloy had hoped, though Talanah had kept her word. She woke to find the Sun-Hawk still wrapped around her snugly, the heat of her skin keeping out the chill in the air. The two made themselves ready in near silence, both knowing the conversation with the High Matriarchs would be challenging, neither wanting to break the spell of the previous night. 

Aloy leaned into Talanah's touch as the dark-haired woman took the opportunity pepper her skin with light touches and small, breathy kisses. Talanah was extra doting for her benefit, the redhead knew. It was soft and careful of Talanah in a way she rarely portrayed publicly, in a way that was only reserved for Aloy alone. In the way that she'd been at the girl's bedside as she laid dying. The part of her that so desperately wanted to protect the fiery huntress.

The Sun-Hawk's hands slid over Aloy's outfit--pulling buckles and straps tight, layering the other woman with both armor of the body and the mind as she did so. Talanah donned some of her Carja best for her first meeting with the Matriarchs--there was no need to be discreet now. She was an emissary of the Sundom, and she as much as she knew she'd really come for Aloy's sake, she had no intention of letting Avad down. The two stepped into the main room of the lodge to find Elisabet stoking the embers of the fire. She wore a long, thicker tunic-style top that covered thinner Carja cotton pants.

"Morning, kiddo," Elisabet greeted.

"You kept the braids in," Aloy noted, a half smile peeking out.

"Of course I did. I promised you I would," Elisabet replied, her fingers unconsciously reaching for the bead at one end. Her hair was the longest it had been in perhaps her entire life, the ends hovering just over her shoulders. "You're looking kind of pale, Aloy. Scared?" 

Aloy tensed her jaw, doing her best to roll her eyes and dodge the question. "Mother, _please._ I can take down Thunderjaws. I know how to handle the High Matriarchs," she insisted.

Elisabet chuckled quietly to herself, but Talanah heard the tell in Aloy's boast. Of course the Savior of Meridian had never feared a _machine._ She was all fire and fury on the outside. Light and heat. Talanah had no doubt Aloy could be the Sun herself.

But she knew her insides felt the pain and fear and rejection of this place, of its people.

Machines were easy. People were another story.

\------

"Aloy! Our Anointed has returned!" Teersa greeted with a smile, stepping forward.

"Teersa," Aloy said, pulling the old woman in for a somewhat stilted, but genuine hug. 

Aloy, Talanah, and Elisabet stood at the entrance to the High Matriarchs' Lodge, an impressively big building for the Nora, the most grandiose location in Mother's Heart. 

The old woman peered at Aloy's companions, first noting Talanah's tell-tale Carja accoutrements, and then stopping at the sight of Elisabet, her eyes fixed on the beads in her hair and the resemblance in her face. Somehow, her expression seemed wry and interested, instead of fearful.

"I can see we have much to discuss, child. Come in. Quickly now," she said, ushering the trio inside.

The three were led by Teersa into the large main room, a fire blazed and candles flickered throughout. Seated at the large wooden table was Lansra, a scowl across her face. She did not rise as they entered, but remained seated until Teersa and the three took their own places. Lansra's frown deepened as she caught sight of Elisabet's braids, her rage visibly spreading across her face.

As the group settled into their awkward formation around the rectangular table, Aloy eyed the two Matriarchs, noting that Jezza was missing.

"Teersa," Aloy began softly, "where's Jezza?"

Lansra said nothing but looked ruefully away. Teersa's eyes cast down, her hand reaching across the table for the girl's. "Aloy...you know the Nora have suffered so very many attacks since you ran in the Proving. The last attack by the cursed machines took even more from earthly life and sent braves, mothers, and children alike into the embrace of All-Mother. Jezza was leading a prayer for protection before she was struck down. It's just Lansra and I now. At least until another Lesser Matriarch qualifies."

"Teersa..." Aloy began, "I'm...I'm sorry. I liked Jezza. I wish...I wish her prayer had worked."

"Who's to say it didn't?" Teersa replied coyly. "You're here now, aren't you? All-Mother works in mysterious ways."

Aloy blushed and squeezed Talanah's hand under the table. It was so difficult to accept praise when she'd endured a lifetime of scorn.

"I'll...uh, do my best."

"Now then, it seems you haven't come alone. Mind introducing your companions? Jana, of course, let us know the basics, but I have to hear it for myself. It's not often we permit outsiders into the Embrace."

The Sun-Hawk stirred. "My name is Talanah Khane Padish, Sun-Hawk of the Hunter's Lodge in Meridian. I come as a representative of Sun-King Avad. He is eager to extend his help to the Nora and to continue offering reparations for the Raids in the form of whatever assistance we can provide. Aloy and I are know well of the Daemon that has caused the machines to show such aggression and I would be more than willing to help train your braves in combat against them, and to help dispose of any remaining threats in the area."

"Ah, the Daemon," Teersa nodded. "We too, have heard rumors from the occasional Banuk trader in the valley. Is it related to the Buried Shadow...that HADES spirit that struck Meridian?"

"It is. Not the same, but related to it," Talanah said. 

"And?" Teersa pushed.

Talanah looked confused. "And...what, High Matriarch?"

"Ah, girl, you've left out the most important part of your role. You're Aloy's mate, are you not?"

It was Talanah's turn to blush a deep crimson, her hand tightening around the redhead's beneath the table. "Did...did Jana tell you that?"

"No, my dear," Teersa explained. "But when you've lived as long as I have, you can see it plain as day." She turned, addressing the other woman. "Good for you, Aloy. I always wondered if you'd find someone who could match your strengths. I'm sure Varl will be a bit disappointed, but he'll understand," she chuckled to herself.

Aloy allowed a small grin before Teersa turned and finally allowed her eyes to settle on Elisabet, who was trying her best to not draw attention to herself. "Now, would you care to tell me who you are?" Teersa asked.

Elisabet looked at Aloy for reassurance. The huntress nodded, and the older woman spoke. "My name is Elisabet Sobeck. I am...an expert in understanding machines. I came to provide the antidote for any of your people affected by the Daemon's poison."

"Ah yes, medicine will be most welcome against the Daemonic affliction," Teersa noted humbly. "Some have already been lost, but with your help, we can save those who remain. However, you too, are leaving out the most important part. Even if I couldn't see the resemblance of blood between you, you've got Nora beads and braids that tell an unmistakable story, though one most confusing. You're her mother, aren't you?"

"...Yes," Elisabet said, eyes resolute. "I am."

Lansra visibly cringed at the response. "Blasphemy," she spat. "I told you the girl was a curse, and now she's proven us all fools for ever believing the lie that she was of the _Goddess._ "

"Peace, sister," Teersa soothed. "I do not believe Aloy has ever lied to us. The will of All-Mother is more complex than any one of us may understand."

"I...I can explain," Aloy insisted. "Both are true. I am equally of the Goddess and of the woman you see before you. They...they're both my mothers."

"Lies!" Lansra raged.

"It's the truth," Elisabet said calmly, keeping her wits about her.

"All-Mother used her blood to create me in the Womb of the Mountain," Aloy interjected. "You see how strong our resemblance is."

Teersa's eyes narrowed, "But you are not Nora. Are you perhaps Oseram?"

"No," Elisabet said, "I'm not. My tribe is long gone. Long dead. But I have known of your Goddess for a very long time. You could say I was...always devoted her, in a way." She hesitated a moment, choosing her words carefully so as to tell the most truth in a manner the old Matriarch would understand. "I was... _away_ from these lands for many years, and it seems in my absence, she chose to give me a daughter. Aloy found me about half a year ago."

Elisabet reached across the table to place a hand on the girl's shoulder, rubbing gently. The two traded off back and forth, detailing an edited version of how Aloy had discovered the older woman's existence, and how she was found. After several minutes, Aloy broke off.

"I asked her to wear the braids," Aloy said. "I...wanted everyone to know. I'm proud to belong to her. Just as proud of belonging to the All-Mother herself. She's helped many people across the world with her knowledge of the machines and how to defend against them." It was as close to the truth as she could get without breaking the old woman's world. "Teersa, I nearly _died_ in Meridian a few weeks ago. The Daemon's machine struck me down and poisoned me. Elisabet almost died to find the cure. She _is_ my mother, Nora or not."

"You love her?" Teersa inquired of Elisabet.

The redhead turned to look at the old woman directly. "Fiercely," she answered. "It's true, I didn't expect Aloy. But I am _so_ glad she's mine. I...don't want to think of a world where she isn't. We're just...all three of us...we want to help. That's why we're here."

Teersa cracked a smile. "I admit all of this is...highly unorthodox, but then again, when has our Anointed ever been one to follow the rules?" she asked, jokingly. "I can see you care for the girl. Truly, you have been blessed by the Goddess and you must be highly favored if she chose you as a muse for her work. Many moons ago, the Nora might have...been more cautious about these things. More skeptical. But Aloy has repeatedly proven that perhaps we must put even greater faith in All-Mother--that some of her ways are unknowable, unthinkable by mortal beings. That our faith must be stronger, our disbelief suspended. Surely, it is a blessing that the three of you come willing to help after yet another attack. All-Mother knows we need it and are not in a position to refuse."

"You fool," Lansra growled. "You would let these three spin a web of falsehoods before you, and yet you fall into their trap willingly. I was willing to accept the girl was the Anointed, but the violence did not stop. She did not save us. Her supposed destiny was not fulfilled. The Nora continued to suffer. And now you want to allow a _Carja_ and some tribeless wanderer into our most Sacred Land? Jezza may have always sided with you and overruled me, but she's gone now. And I oppose." 

She rose from the table gruffly, pausing only as she neared Aloy. "You are a _curse_ upon the Nora. We have known nothing but destruction since you first entered Mother's Heart and there is nothing but _death_ inside you, bleeding out to all in your wake." She stormed out of the lodge before Elisabet could rise from her seat, leaving the remaining four aghast.

"Aloy, I apologize for Lansra," Teersa began, the girl and her compatriots getting up quickly.

"Don't worry about it," Aloy said brusquely. "I'm _used_ to it around here." 

Elisabet's hand tensed around the girl's shoulder. She would kill for the girl if she had to, but she knew staying on her best behavior was the right play here, as much as she hated it.

"Please, do not take her rejection as indicative of us all," Teersa insisted. "Find Sona. She will lead you to the braves and the sick." She walked forward slowly, placing an affectionate hand first on Talanah and then Elisabet's arm. "I for one, am grateful that All-Mother has seen fit to send you back to us. We need the help, and Lansra is too proud to set aside her doubts in exchange for it."

The group took their leave of Teersa, exiting the building and finally having a moment without scrutiny. Aloy sighed, letting all the toughness she'd tried her best to project melt out of her limbs. Talanah's teeth clenched. She wanted to tear Lansra apart for what she'd said to Aloy. 

The huntress leaned heavily against Elisabet, wrapping her arms around the woman and hugging her mother in silence. She almost wanted to cry, but she wouldn't give the Nora such satisfaction. At least not in public. It could wait until later. 

"I'm so sorry, kiddo. That was rough," Elisabet whispered. "It was all I could do not to backhand that woman."

"It was typical," Aloy breathed back. "At least Teersa was willing to listen."

"I like her," Elisabet agreed. 

"She always watched out for me. If it had been up to her, I never would have been an outcast at all," Aloy lamented. She broke off from Elisabet, once again pulling a veneer of strength over her.

"You sure you don't want me to murder Lansra for you?" Talanah joked. "It might start another war, but I'd be willing," she laughed. 

Aloy tried to grin half-heartedly. "I might take you up on that later," she said sarcastically. "But for now, we have to find Sona. We have work to do. We have a lot to prove if I'm going to stand a chance of convincing them to let us into the Cradle." 

"You sure you don't want to take a minute?" Talanah asked. "I don't know about you, but I'm furious."

Aloy shrugged it off, walking forward as the other two fell into step behind her.

Talanah shook her head. She knew what it was like to need duty to come before emotion. She only hoped that the rest of their visit would go more smoothly.

As they walked, GAIA chimed into the huntress' Focus. "You know better than to let Lansra get to you, Aloy. No daughter of mine leaves a trail of death. You have saved so many. You bring light and life wherever you. And if she keeps it up, she will have the All-Mother to answer to," the AI chuckled softly.

Aloy laughed but shivered slightly, and not from the cold. 

Something about the altercation with Lansra seemed foreboding, her stomach twisting at the notion that the dispute wasn't quite over. The Matriarch had said it herself: now that Jezza was gone, Lansra's opposition carried more weight.

She hoped she would be strong enough to bear it.


	14. The Anointed

Elisabet could feel the heat of Sona's eyes on her, judging. 

Assessing whether or not what they'd just told her was the truth.

Assessing how dangerous that truth might be.

The table in Sona's lodge was quiet, she and Varl mulling over everything the three women had just told them. It had been particularly difficult for Sona to reconcile Aloy's parentage, her brow still visibly furrowed over the notion that Elisabet had _served as muse for the Goddess._ Still, Teersa had given her blessing, and Sona was nothing if not reverent of the Matriarchs--Teersa, in particular. 

Varl, however, had stared in wide-eyed wonder at the girl's tale. He had seen enough of Aloy's miraculousness both in and out of battle to accept just about anything she could have hurled at him. Aloy had purposefully taken a seat to Elisabet's left, placing the older woman between herself and Talanah. Creating distance. Avoiding his gaze. 

She wanted to tell him personally. 

He deserved that much, didn't he?

Sona had taken Elisabet to the injured while Talanah took it upon herself to seek the braves, leaving Varl and Aloy alone for a moment in the War-Chief's lodge. 

"Some story, huh?" Aloy asked, keeping her tone light.

"Well, when it comes from the Anoin-" he caught himself as he said it, clearing his throat. "When it comes from _you,_ I believe it," Varl corrected. And he meant every word of it.

Aloy smiled sheepishly. She could hear the sincerity in his voice. "So uh...there's something else I needed to tell you," she began.

He raised an eyebrow at her, curious, causing his usual face paint to crack just slightly over the crease in his forehead. "There's _more?_ Always full of surprises."

"Well...it's just that..." Aloy paused, trying to work around the nervousness in her gut. "I wanted to tell you personally. That I've...I've taken a mate."

Varl's face noticeably deflated. Aloy had known of his affections toward her. For a long time, she'd felt similarly--until of course, she'd met the Sun-Hawk.

"I'm uh...I'm happy for you," he insisted, trying to put on his best face. After all, it was Nora custom that a woman chose her mate, whoever that might be. No one could do it for her. "Who...who is it?" he asked, tentatively, unsure if he really wanted the answer.

"It's...it's Talanah."

"A _Carja?_ " he shot back. 

Aloy winced at his words. She'd been bracing for them, but they still cut. "Not a _Carja,_ " she insisted. "A person. Same as any of us."

Varl's mouth curled into a frown. "It's one thing to be a diplomat or to trade with them. It was even honorable to fight alongside them in Meridian against a threat bigger than us all. It's another to let one lie with you," he said, disappointment in his voice. "They _killed_ us, Aloy. Captured us. Tortured us. Sacrificed us in the Sun-Ring. Or did you just forget the Red Raids happened?"

"She wasn't the one calling for blood," Aloy insisted. "Her father and brother died opposing Jiran's madness."

His expression turned petulant. "She's still a _Carja,_ " he said, spitting the word like an insult. "Any Nora would have bowed at your feet. You're All-Mother's chosen."

Aloy sadly shook her head. "And you think I wanted that? From a people who cast me out? I said it before, Varl, I don't _belong_ to the Nora."

"But you're _one of us,_ " he insisted. "You were raised Nora. You could have had anyone here. ...You could have had me."

Aloy clenched her jaw, equal parts seething and saddened. She knew she'd hurt Varl by telling him, but he'd gone too far, and judging by the look on his face, he knew it. 

"I'm not one of the Nora," she growled. "I'm never going to adhere to some ancient tribal law that keeps us isolated and _afraid,_ Varl, the same laws that kept me shunned for nearly my entire life. I've chosen. And I chose her. I thought you might understand...after everything." She turned to leave him, unwilling to let the conversation go further.

Varl's face was a mix of embarrassment and regret. "Aloy, I'm sorry, I...I went too far."

She didn't turn back as she walked out the door.

\------

"So you have come to give an antidote to the tribe?" Sona asked evenly. She walked side by side with Elisabet, leading her to the healers and their charges. The moans of the sick and injured gathering volume as they drew near. 

"I have," Elisabet said tentatively.

"And you know it will work?"

"It...it worked for Aloy," Elisabet said, a terrible ache running through her as she recalled the girl's near-death poisoning. She'd been so close to losing her. So close to losing everything. The very thought made her sick. "She nearly died...and I don't know what I would have done if she had," the redhead added. 

Sona nodded, stopping Elisabet for a moment. "My daughter Vala ran in the Proving with Aloy. She was struck down by the killers--the Eclipse who worshipped the Buried Shadow. She is in the embrace of All-Mother now. Your daughter...lived and mine did not," the War-Chief said quietly.

Elisabet inhaled sharply in sympathy for the woman, casting her eyes down, a turbulent mix of guilt and relief at Aloy's luck coursing through her.

"I believe you when you say it, Elisabet. That you don't know what you'd do without her. I recognize a mother's love for her daughter. But you must understand my skepticism," Sona explained.

"I don't blame you," Elisabet said, tone soft. "Somedays I barely believe all of this is even real. But I know everything that happened...gave me her," she said gently, tip-toeing her way around the exact details of her past and her association with _the Goddess._ It had been one thing to tell open-minded people like Petra or Avad the truth. But the Nora required some finessing. "And I wouldn't trade her for the world." 

Sona nodded knowingly, walking again. "And that is why I believe you, despite everything," she said. "But be warned, not all Nora will so easily. Try not to draw attention to yourself."

Elisabet smirked just slightly, "A little hard with this face and hair."

Sona's expression softened, "A resemblance stronger than I have ever seen. Truly, the Goddess did take you as muse. And if you have the All-Mother's trust, surely you have mine. We're here," she said, gesturing.

The two stopped, surrounded by cots laid on the ground, the sick wailing and groaning against the poison in their veins.

"I hope you can help them," Sona said resolutely. "...the Nora have lost enough. _We_ have lost enough."

\------

Aloy felt anger and nerves coiled in her stomach. How could Varl have acted like that? She knew news of her relationship with Talanah would hurt him, but she hadn't expected _that._ She shook her head. He'd apologized at the end...but was it enough? The way he'd spat the word _Carja_ made her feel so hollow and raw inside that all she wished for was Talanah's touch. But there was no time for that now, not where all the braves could see. Could judge.The Sun-Hawk was up ahead, demonstrating techniques to the remaining braves, discussing how best to destroy the Daemon's machines.

Aloy hung back as she approached, taking a moment to enjoy listening to Talanah's confidence on display. She was one of the few who came close to rivaling the girl herself and a wonder in battle. To see her take charge made her heart swell with pride, even if it still ached with Varl's harsh words. Soon enough, heads were turning to catch her eye, to see her hair, to gain some sliver of _the Anointed's_ attention. Murmurs rose in the crowd as Aloy walked forward to join Talanah, the two now addressing the braves together.

The Sun-Hawk planted a quick kiss on Aloy's cheek, causing the girl to freeze. Talanah hadn't thought twice about it. Why would she? Such small expressions of affection were commonplace in Meridian--where the dark-haired woman had never had to hide her relationship with Aloy--her status as Sun-Hawk and favor with the Sun-King easily supplanting anyone's hesitation about intertribal relations. But Aloy knew all was revealed now. The Nora would have to accept their _Anointed_ had taken a _Carja_ mate. 

A roar went up through the gathered crowd before Talanah silenced them, Aloy's cheeks burning deep. "Do you want our help or do you want to gossip?" she shouted. A few disgruntled noises floated up from the braves, but otherwise they settled down quickly, the need for training outweighing the need to speak aloud their disagreement with the girl's choice of mate. Aloy's core coiled tighter and she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hold herself together, protecting soft insides from the barbs of a dozen judging faces. 

It was going to be a long day, and it seemed Varl wasn't the only one she'd disappointed.

\------

Talanah's chest heaved, catching her breath. She tucked her bow behind her back, exhausted. She'd been putting the braves through their paces, the training grueling but necessary. It had been enough for now. Enough that the braves could venture into the valleys north of the Embrace to hunt the last of the Daemon's machines in the days to come. She found Aloy alone, clearly frustrated as she angrily sharpened ridgewood for fresh arrows. She'd let Talanah take charge of training and had allowed herself to disappear from the group two hours prior, hoping that maybe she could calm the sick anxiety that crawled through her limbs.

"Something's wrong," Talanah noted as she approached the other woman. 

Aloy said nothing but continued whittling away at the ridgewood, the tension rolled off of her in thick waves. Not here. Not right now. _Not in front of everyone._

Talanah placed a hand at the small of her back and Aloy instinctively shrugged her away. She couldn't have the braves making any more of a fuss. They had a job to do and the Matriarchs were never going to approve taking foreigners to the Cradle if Aloy continued making a spectacle of herself. The Sun-Hawk jolted as the redhead jerked away from her, a deep pain crossing her face. 

"Later," Aloy whispered to her, her body rigid. It was clear avoiding her touch had hurt them both. 

The two walked in silence until they found Elisabet. It had been hours since she'd used up what antidote she'd brought and she had since taken it upon herself to share the recipe for more with the healers, who had accepted it after Sona had given her approval of the woman who looked _strikingly_ like the girl who now approached. 

The younger women found Elisabet bent low over a sickly looking young man, changing dressings on a red and angry wound slashed across his forearm. When she was finished, she patted the man's hand. "You are a blessing from the Goddess, mother of the Anointed," the man said, thanking her. Elisabet gave a small half-smile, slowly rising. She had done as Sona advised, trying her best to keep her head down--but it was unavoidable--her flaming hair bearing Nora beads and features giving her away.

"Rough day, kiddo?" she asked. It was the first time she'd seen Aloy since they'd parted just before midday. The look on the younger woman's face told her everything she needed to know--though she was surprised to find it mirrored on Talanah's face as well. Elisabet reached toward Aloy, attempting to wrap her in a hug, but found the motion rebuked. 

Aloy prickled and retreated within herself, simply taking Elisabet's hand as she guided them both back to the guest lodge in the settlement proper. She couldn't afford to be soft. Couldn't afford to give in to their affections in front of the others. It would only stir up more talk, would only provoke more stares.

Even among the two she loved most, she felt herself an outcast once again.

\------

The three had returned to the lodge, whispers and stares following their movements as Aloy briskly walked them back. It seemed between the kiss Talanah had given just before training and the braids in Elisabet's hair, most of the tribe had caught on to both of the latest controversies--whether Aloy had told them personally or not. 

Maybe she'd been too naive. Too prideful in wishing for the tribe to see Elisabet and _know_ by the beads and braids Aloy had given her. Maybe it had been the wrong move, she considered, as watchful eyes followed her--though not all were unkind, she noted. Most appeared conflicted and confused and for that, she couldn't quite blame them.

The door closed and Elisabet spun on her heels, placing her hands on Aloy's shoulders. "What's wrong, Aloy?"

The girl frowned, not meeting her mother's eyes. "It's not you," she said with a sigh. "It's them."

"You want to tell me about it?" Elisabet asked, eyes soft and eyebrows meeting with concern.

"No, I really don't," Aloy said with an air of finality. The longer she was here, the worse she felt and the last thing she wanted to do was pour out every vile thought swimming through her mind.

Elisabet didn't feel any better about it, but she wasn't going to push. It was hard enough for Aloy to be here, she knew, and she didn't want to do anything to make it harder on the girl. 

Talanah had remained silent, standing back in the hallway, watching as Aloy pushed them both away. The two parted, Aloy retiring to their shared room without a word. Elisabet eyed the dark-haired woman with a look of empathy. Talanah walked forward and took a seat next to Elisabet in the main room, silently starting a fire.

"So," Elisabet began, "I think the whole tribe knows about me at this point. Word spreads fast. Is that what has her so wound up?"

"Perhaps. But...the braves didn't react well to... _us,_ " Talanah began. "By the Sun, I didn't think...I just...I kissed her and the moment I did, I knew I'd done something wrong."

Elisabet snapped her head to look at the Sun-Hawk. "Loving her is never wrong, Talanah."

The Sun-Hawk nodded. "I know that...but the Nora are so reserved. So isolated. Taking a mate from another tribe is unheard of. I just... _I didn't think,_ " she said angrily, blaming herself. "I never have to be afraid of anyone's judgment in Meridian. _Never._ There, I'm the Sun-Hawk, favored of the Sun-King and she's the Savior of the city. No one would dare speak against us there, even if she's not Carja."

"Hard coming back to the conservative hometown, huh?" Elisabet asked wryly. She knew Talanah wouldn't quite grasp her meaning, but the younger woman nodded in agreement anyway. "She's just hurting, Talanah, and it's not your fault. Go talk to her."

"I don't think she wants to see me," Talanah said, a lump in her throat. They'd never fought. Never felt distant from each other, but right now the woman she cared for felt as far away as Meridian itself.

\------

"It's hard for her to be here, GAIA," the older woman said quietly. 

The AI's projection sat on the bed next to her, providing a presence for Elisabet to address. She'd just wrapped up a call to Petra, which, while comforting, just wasn't the same as having her _here_ to talk. Elisabet felt lonely for the first time in a while. 

Aloy had retreated so far into herself that she seemed impenetrable right now, and the older woman didn't dare let the huntress know just how awkward she felt, being addressed as the _mother of the anointed,_ or worse yet, given cold stares that betrayed a lingering distrust. Still, it was better than the insults that had been hurled at her as an up-and-coming woman in tech, so she supposed she could grin and bear it for the girl's sake.

"It is my fault they react so strongly," GAIA said, hanging her head. "If I had managed to find a method to disable Ted's directives, I never would have been shut out of communication with the tribal inhabitants. I could have explained, or kept them from becoming so superstitious in the first place, perhaps."

Elisabet chuckled softly, her back resting against the wooden wall, sitting cross-legged on her bed. "I don't think _anyone_ can prevent humanity's desire to mythologize, GAIA, not even you."

The AI smiled in return, nodding as she did so. It was good to speak so freely now. GAIA had been relegated to minimal contact while they were in the Sacred Land--a safety precaution--objectively the right move, but it didn't make either woman--AI or human--feel any better about how isolating it was. Elisabet could see it in GAIA's translucent eyes, a loneliness mirroring her own. 

"I've missed you these last few days," Elisabet admitted. 

"And I, you," GAIA responded. Elisabet thumbed at the AI's projected jawline, GAIA leaning into it as she let herself simulate the touch. "I never wished to be viewed as a deity," the AI finally admitted with a sigh. "I did not want this for Aloy."

"I know you didn't," the redhead assured. "I know. I think today was just...tough for her."

"There is more yet to come," GAIA said, a bit ruefully. 

Elisabet nodded. "And that's why I'm giving her space. I think she needs it right now. And I think _you_ need my attention," she said with a grin.

"Am I that transparent?" GAIA laughed, giving herself a faux-shocked once over.

"Oh Jesus, GAIA, is that a joke? Fuck, that's bad," Elisabet replied, groaning and laughing deeply. Even when the AI had been cooped up in their Focuses and unable to speak freely with her for days, here she was trying to cheer her up. Always there for her. Just like she always was. 

Elisabet quieted after a moment, considering. The atmosphere in the lodge was heavy and uneasy. "What do you need?" she asked.

GAIA appeared to reach for her hand, though of course, Elisabet willingly moved it of her own accord, letting her palm run along the length of the AI's neck and shoulder, where it met the simulated fabric of her signature green dress. The movement wasn't as smooth as it would have been with someone else _really_ there, but it wasn't wholly unfamiliar. It was, after all, a _practiced_ act between them. 

The simulated fabric appeared to slide down the AI's shoulder with the movement of Elisabet's fingertips and she looked up to find GAIA gazing coyly back. "Oh, so it's like that?" Elisabet asked, grinning. 

"It is," GAIA agreed, the look on her face pleading in a way it rarely did.

"What do you _need?_ " Elisabet asked again, voice low.

Her projected hands cupped Elisabet's face while she allowed the simulated fabric she wore to be dragged further down her arm by the pads of the redhead's fingers.

"You," GAIA answered. "Just you."

\------

Aloy sat on their shared bed, knees drawn to her chest, the glow of the candles in the room reflecting in her eyes. She hadn't said a word since Talanah had entered, ignoring everything around her as the Sun-Hawk slowly changed into something clean and loose. 

Talanah took a seat at her side and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, jolting her out of her blank stare. She flinched.

Aloy _never_ flinched.

The Sun-Hawk's face screwed up in a mix of confusion and hurt. "Aloy...be honest. Are-are you _ashamed_ to be with me here?" she asked, her voice pitching high and cracking.

The sound of it nearly broke Aloy. Her brow furrowed and she muttered low, "How could you think that?"

"How could I _not_ , Aloy? You flinch at my touch, you back away from me when we're in public. You act like my kiss _burns._ Like it was some kind of torture for you to be seen that way with me," she says, her eyes becoming glassy.

Aloy turned toward the dark-haired woman, mouth agape at what Talanah had just confessed. No, no, _Goddess_ how could she have let the Sun-Hawk feel that way? She'd meant to protect her, to protect _herself._

And somehow, the only thing she'd succeeded in doing was hurting the beautiful creature before her. It was an ache that spread throughout her chest and sank into her gut as she realized what she'd done.

"Talanah," she started, her voice softening.

The Sun-Hawk's head was bowed, trying her best to conceal how raw she felt. When she finally spoke her voice was hard and fiery and she felt like every word spilled directly from her insides, laying her bare. "Aloy, _you know_ I'd do anything for you. I almost watched you _die._ And I have _never_ felt as scared as I did then. I would strike down every brave, every Matriarch, every dissenting voice from here to Meridian if it meant being with you."

She leaned forward and took the huntress' face in her hands. "I do not fear their judgment, Aloy. And neither should you."

Aloy.

Not little Thrush.

Aloy allowed a low whine to escape her. She wanted it to be that simple. It should have been, really. "Everything I do is practically blasphemy to them. This is just one more way I've disappointed the tribe. Everything I do is wrong."

"We aren't wrong," Talanah insisted. "We _aren't._ " She kissed at the pulse in Aloy's throat, hoping somehow it would convey the words she was choking on. Why couldn't she understand just how much Talanah loved her?

Maybe it was because she'd never said it.

Never said it to anyone after her father and brother had died. Loving someone was a risk. A vulnerability she hadn't afforded herself in years. 

Aloy whimpered against her, trying desperately not to cry. She'd handled so much worse--so why did she feel this way? She'd clearly hurt her mother, and had hurt Talanah even worse. She needed to be better than this. She'd lashed out and was letting her fears hurt the two she loved most.

"I'm...I'm sorry," Aloy whispered, leaning back as Talanah continued to press her, staving off the redhead's miasma of anxiety with every kiss. The Sun-Hawk continued until Aloy was flat on her back, weight sinking into the bed below them. Talanah swung a leg over the girl's side, straddling her hips, using her arms to support herself. She could feel the buzz of Aloy's words against her lips as she continued to lavish the huntress with slow, purposeful kisses along her throat and jaw.

Talanah pulled back, just far enough to look the huntress in the eyes. "Don't be afraid of what they think," she said, low and serious. 

Aloy nodded, wiping at her eyes. She relaxed, letting the pressure of Talanah's weight ground her. The Sun-Hawk eased low, sinking into Aloy's open arms, tucking her head against the girl's chest while their legs tangled. She listened to the rhythm she'd come to associate with the huntress, bright and steady beneath her ribs.

Talanah swallowed. She had to say it. Needed to say it. Needed Aloy to understand. 

"Do...you know why today upset me so much?" she asked.

"Because I've been about as awful as an angry snapmaw?" Aloy joked softly. The Sun-Hawk liked this, the rumble of the girl's voice under her ear. 

Talanah gave a small sigh. Now or never. "It's because I love you, little Thrush."

She heard a sharp intake of breath from the girl. A minute passed. And then another.

"I love you too," the huntress breathed back, tightening around her.

Talanah smiled.

She had never heard Aloy's heart beat so fast.

\------

The next few days were smoother, easier knowing that she was furnished with the armor of Talanah's affections. It served as a silent strength Aloy hadn't realized she'd needed, gave her a confidence to fight the stares from the wary. But it also gave her the peace of mind to understand that not all reactions were so cruel. There were those who were merely curious, those who wanted to understand despite the leap of faith it required. Even Varl had eventually come around, sincerely apologizing to Aloy privately.

Talanah and Aloy had led two separate excursions into the valleys north of the Embrace to hunt the remaining Daemonic machines. To their relief, the numbers were few, and more readily overcome with the newly trained braves. Elisabet had worried, of course, while GAIA had continually whispered updates as she monitored the girls' actions. Elisabet hadn't realized how tightly her fist had been clenched until her knuckles had ached. 

Word of their success had reached the Matriarchs, it seemed, when Teb arrived.

"Teb, it's good to see you," Aloy smiled genuinely--she'd always liked the stitcher. "Where have you been? I've been here for days and haven't seen you!"

Teb shrugged in his shy way. "With all the injuries, it seemed my talents at stitching were required. Clothes or flesh, I can do it for the good of the tribe," he said, smiling sadly. "But I prefer when it's clothes."

Aloy clasped him on the shoulder. "I'm sure you've done great. What brings you out here?" she said, gesturing to the field she and braves currently occupied. She and Talanah had just finished leading their last patrol, finally declaring that the valley was clear of threats for the time being. It was overly cautious, but these were times for caution.

"High Matriarch Teersa sent me," he said simply.

"Did she...tell you...?" Aloy asked hesitantly, unsure of what he'd heard since her return.

He smiled, "Don't worry, Aloy, I know what you're talking about. Word spreads fast through the Nora. And I, for one, am glad you found your earthly mother--and a mate--it doesn't matter what tribe she's from. You deserve some happiness."

"So you're...not...upset that I have a mother? That my mate is a Carja?" she asked, tentatively. She felt stronger now, sure, but some part of her knew that she needed Teb's support.

"Of course not. Finding your mother--the muse of the Goddess--is a blessing from All-Mother herself. And a mate? We should all be so lucky to find one. I think the Nora have been afraid of others too long. We stood beside the Carja at Meridian. What is there to fear?" he answered back softly.

Aloy smiled--really smiled--and quickly hugged the stitcher. "So what was it Teersa wanted?"

"To see you. Alone." Teb answered. "I'm not sure, but it seemed serious."

Aloy rolled her eyes slightly. "It always is."

\------

"Welcome, Aloy!" Teersa greeted in the High Matriarchs' lodge. 

Teersa hugged the girl quickly. Aloy was slightly stiff at the touch, her eyes roaming the room for signs of the Lansra.

"Don't fret; she's not here," Teersa said, as if reading her mind. "She and I have...had a disagreement as of late."

Aloy cringed. She knew it had to do with her. With her presence. Her parenthood. Bringing foreigners.

"So what is it you wanted to see me about?" Aloy asked tentatively, taking a seat across the the older woman in front of the fire. It felt good as the daylight began to wane.

"I wanted to thank you. Sona has told me how you and the Carja girl have trained the braves and helped rid our lands of the remaining beasts of the Daemon. She also told me of your mother's contributions--that she not only administered the cure, but that she taught our healers how to make more. I see now why the All-Mother chose to make you in her image," the old woman smiled thoughtfully.

"I'm...I'm glad we could help, Teersa. Really."

"But there are other reasons you came, aren't there?" the old woman asked, peering from beneath her ornate headdress, long dreaded hair swaying slightly. 

Aloy's eyes widened, looking for the words to explain.

"Now, now. I don't doubt your willingness to help us, Aloy. But I suspect you could have done much of it on your own if you'd wanted. You're the most capable young woman I know. Which begs the question of _why?_ "

Aloy swallowed. She was going to have to ask eventually. "I...need to bring them to the Womb of the Mountain. Where I was born."

Teersa's look of surprise somehow didn't quite meet her eyes, as if it wasn't out of the realm of possibility she had already considered. "That is our most sacred place, Aloy. It is unheard of...but I know you would not ask if it wasn't important."

Aloy's brow furrowed. She still had to be delicate with Teersa. Had to frame things in a manner she'd understand. "The Daemonic machines are an extension of the Derangement," she began. "The Daemon is related to the Buried Shadow. The Goddess has tried to resist by giving us Daemonbane to cure the sick, but it won't stop the machines from coming back. There _will_ be more. And more will die--many more--before the Daemon is satisfied."

Teersa suddenly looked a bit paler. "Then what can be done, Aloy? If the Goddess herself resists and cannot overcome it, what are you to do?"

"Elisabet--my mother--told you she was an expert in machines. She and I must... _commune_ with All-Mother in the Womb of the Mountain. She must take inspiration from us both again to have the strength to defeat the Daemon."

"And the All-Mother has told you this?" the Matriarch asked evenly.

"She...uh, she speaks to me. And my mother. She has now ever since the two of us were reunited," Aloy said. She hated _lying_ but she had to remind herself it was kindness in its own way.

"Two limbs of the same tree," Teersa noted and it was...accurate, in a manner of speaking.

"Teersa, if we can do this for All-Mother, we can end the Derangement. We can return the machines to their true nature--like they were before I was born," Aloy pleaded.

"And what of your mate?" Teersa asked. "What will she do in the Womb of the Mountain? What does the Goddess require of her?"

Aloy's brow furrowed. The truth was Talanah had simply volunteered to help--she'd done her part, really, but Aloy knew she wanted the Sun-Hawk to see and to _know,_ to understand how she came to be. "I...I just need her to understand. To see where I was born--where the Goddess made me."

"She seems important to you."

"Teersa, she kept vigil at my bedside as I laid dying in Meridian, barely sleeping or eating for days. She chilled my fever and never gave up on me. Not even when I told her I knew I wouldn't make it. And after? She was there every day while I healed and every day as I finally returned to the world. She volunteered to come here. To help because she believed in helping the tribe. I love her. And she loves me," Aloy confessed, spilling it all to the old woman. It felt...good. It was more true than anything else she'd said.

The Matriarch gave her a small smile, which Aloy reflected. "You know I give you permission to bend the rules quite often, Aloy. More than most. But this...this would not only bend them, it would break."

"I know, Teersa. I do. And I don't mean to fly in the face of everything you--everything the Nora believe," she said, hanging her head. 

"Quite the contrary, Aloy. My faith in the All-Mother has never been stronger. But you must know...Lansra did not take well to our meeting. To you, to the foreigners. And as I'm sure you've noticed, the tribe is divided. Many support you, but many are also scared. Afraid."

Aloy nodded and swallowed, her throat constricting. 

"Jezza is no longer here to balance the scales and Lansra and I are now evenly matched. It seems she and Resh have rallied the skeptics and it will be difficult to convince her otherwise."

Aloy growled at the mention of Resh. She'd been glad to not have seen him since her return, and she hadn't made any effort to seek him out. "They hate me. My mate. My mother," Aloy said quietly.

"Their hate comes from fear, child. Have hope. I will do what I can," she assured Aloy. "If it can be done, I will make it so."

Aloy smiled weakly. 

She hoped Teersa's efforts would be enough.

\------

There was little to be done now that the machines were dispatched and Teersa had set about trying to convince Lansra. The three women sat around the fire in their shared lodge, Aloy leaning her weight into Talanah comfortably, the Carja's arm draped over the redhead's chest, feeling the slow rise and fall of it. For the first time since they'd arrived, the Sun-Hawk felt the girl's body soften and relax. Elisabet, too, seemed to notice, and smiled warmly at the two younger women, happy to see them both in better spirits.

Talanah let her fingers twirl the ends of Aloy's hair as she took a sip from a mug of hot tea, wishing they could stay in this moment. She had to admit, for all the difficulties the Sacred Land brought, the cool air of the mountains and increasingly cold nights had made for cozy moments that were harder to come by in the heat of Meridian. She was gaining an appreciation for the place that had raised the woman she loved.

"We've got time until we hear back from Teersa, right?" Elisabet finally asked. 

Aloy glanced over lazily, enjoying her position against Talanah, her back pressed into the Sun-Hawk's chest. "I'm sure a day or two at least. Lansra won't be easy to convince and the Matriarchs have to agree, now that Jezza's no longer around to be a tie-breaker. Why?"

"You had mentioned taking us to your old home. And if you're willing, I think we'd both love to see it," the older woman said kindly. It was true, she did want to see the home Aloy had had before her. She wanted to understand the life this Rost had provided for her daughter--but she also knew that it was a piece of Aloy that still hurt. That still needed tending to.

Aloy's fingers tightened around Talanah's hand, stilling her motions. She stayed silent a moment.

"It's up to you, kiddo. But I think it could do you some good," Elisabet offered.

The huntress nodded slowly in agreement. Her mother was right. She'd been avoiding it, but if there was a time, it was now.

"Tomorrow," Aloy said finally. For tonight, she just wanted to hold on to her mother's loving gaze and her mate's possessive arms.

\------

Mid-morning still had a chill despite the sun rising in the sky. Thankfully she'd packed some of her warmer Nora clothes while Talanah and Elisabet wore their traveling cloaks. It had been about a year since she'd seen the cabin.

It felt like a lifetime.

Everything was still in place, untouched. The grazer training dummies still stood in the corners of the property and the cabin still looked pristine from the outside.

"This is it," Aloy said softly, taking Talanah's hand in her left and Elisabet's in her right, each woman flanking her as a protection of sorts. A buffer against the hurt she knew would come.

"He built this himself?" Elisabet asked in awe.

Aloy nodded. "Yeah," she confirmed with a shuddering breath.

Aloy opened the door, finding everything exactly as she left it, though a coat of dust now covered every object--not that there was much. Rost had always been a man of simple means and any keepsakes were mostly Aloy's anyway. The three wandered along the cabin, as Aloy pointed out various items or memories. There were only three rooms--one for Rost, one for herself, and an open area where they often sat by the fire, cooking or eating or enjoying a companionable silence. Her eyes welled and she felt Talanah squeeze her hand reassuringly. "I'm here, little Thrush."

"Was this your room?" Elisabet asked gently, noting that one of the doors Aloy had opened contained a few trinkets, including an old doll made of burlap and twine. 

Aloy shook her head in the affirmative. "He made me that doll when I was three," she breathed.

Elisabet nodded and pulled the girl close, kissing the top of her head. "He seemed like a good man," the older woman said. "I'm glad you had him."

"He was," Aloy said, breathing in the scent of her mother's clothes. Her chest felt constricted. It was so, so hard to see this. To remember. To rip open old, scarred wounds. She stayed there for several moments while Elisabet held her close, one hand rubbing a circle into the girl's back and shoulders. "I've got you, kiddo," she promised.

Aloy swallowed her tears and continued to show them around, eventually taking them out into the yard, detailing the fire pit, racks for drying meat, and the rudimentary targets Rost had constructed when she was first learning to hunt. Elisabet swelled with pride as Aloy detailed some of her early training accomplishments. It was the only thing here, it seemed, that she could talk about easily.

Talanah couldn't help but admire the view outside the edge of the gate, looking out onto mountains so different than the deserts of Meridian. It was jaw-dropping in its solitude and suddenly she gained a new understanding of Aloy's difficulty around large crowds. She'd made such strides since the Sun-Hawk had first met the girl, but now she wished she could gift a bit of this serenity to Aloy when the populace of the Sundom's capitol proved overwhelming.

Aloy met her at the gate's threshold, Talanah's arm wrapped snugly around her hips. "You doing okay little Thrush?" she asked. 

The huntress didn't meet her eyes, instead gazing out across the grounds below. Talanah followed her stare, eventually landing on an unmistakable altar, a resting place for the man who had raised her. Aloy slowly unclasped Talanah's grip, walking forward alone until she faced the grave. Talanah watched her from a distance when Elisabet came up from behind her. The older woman hadn't yet caught sight of the girl.

"What is she doing?" Elisabet asked.

"Grieving."

\------

Aloy's knees hit the ground harder than she'd expected, giving out under her weight. 

Rost.

His boarskin pelt hung on the grave, a few of his other belongings piled on top, a silent presence to judge her and bear witness.

Aloy huffed sarcastically. There was an irony in knowing that everything had played out cruelly according to plan: that she would talk and Rost would remain silent and listen--just as she'd once promised. 

"Rost I--I'm back. I'm sorry. I know it's been awhile," she started, her voice cracking high. "So much has happened. I defeated the Buried Shadow and saved Meridian. I...Rost, I found _my mother._ Her name is Elisabet. She looks _just_ like me." She swallowed hard, tears dripping down the back of her throat, forced away from her eyes. "She’s so...strong and brave and she _wants me._ You'd like her. And you'd like knowing that...I came from something. Something important. Not the Metal Devil...but the Goddess herself."

She sniffed, the pressure behind her eyes and in her throat building painfully. "And I uh...I took a mate. Talanah. She's a hunter. She's amazing and she loves me. She's a Carja...I...I don't know how you'd react to that, but I like to think you'd be okay with it. I hope." She wondered if he really would. If he would have welcomed her with open arms or with the same fearful disdain as Resh and Lansra. If he'd have chastised her for not choosing a mate within the tribe. But she knew what lengths he had gone to for his own mate--perhaps he'd have understood a love this intense.

Her voice whispered the words low and quiet that she needed him to hear. Needed him to know all she'd done. Needed him to be _proud._

She heard the crunch of boots behind her, Talanah and her mother. They approached but kept a respectful distance, letting the girl have her privacy. The Sun-Hawk appeared to bow her head in prayer, thankful that this man she would never meet had raised a woman so astounding, so powerful and kind and full of compassion. Even Elisabet, as non-religious as she was, cast her eyes down, grateful for this father figure who had raised her daughter. Who had ensured her survival, her happiness, and everything she hadn't been able to provide until just this past year. She was sure that so much of the girl's resilience came not just from herself--but from him.

"I came back to help the tribe," Aloy continued, her voice shuddering with the weight of being here. The weight of having been alone. The weight of having had no hope of filling the hole he'd left. "You always said they'd need me. Guess I finally learned the lesson. I hope...I hope you'd be proud of that." She wiped her eyes, now freely spilling hot tears down her cheeks.

Talanah and Elisabet slowly flanked the girl, coming to sit on either side of her. The Sun-Hawk took her hand, intertwining their fingers while the girl took solace in her mother's palm against her back, slowly stroking. Quietly, in her ear, she could hear GAIA tell her something soft and sweet.

"I just...I miss you," Aloy cried--really cried, body doubled over while she gasped for air against the near silence of her sobs. "Goddess, I miss you. Every. Single. Day." 

Of all the injuries Aloy had ever suffered, this was the wound that hurt most.


	15. Daughter of the Mountain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What you've all been waiting for...

Aloy hugged Talanah tighter, the two huddled together under their thick quilt.

The mornings were getting colder, day by day. And while it was somewhat of a comforting return to the concept of true _seasons_ for the redhead, Talanah was struggling to adjust, having never lived outside of Meridian's heat. She shivered hard at night and in the early morning, despite pretending not to. Aloy pressed her warm skin against the Sun-Hawk's, enveloping her until the huntress could feel Talanah softening beneath her unconsciously, melting with relief.

Aloy kissed the Sun-Hawk on the shoulder, nuzzling her chin into the other woman's neck and resting comfortably. She closed her eyes, drifting in and out of thought, considering the new status quo.

Things had been better in the two days since visiting the old cabin and paying her respects to Rost. Something felt settled, more healed than it had before. Even some of the Nora had seemed to acquiesce, their looks of confusion or doubt dissipating as they took comfort in the story Aloy had woven. The locals regarded her mother as she'd hoped--an amendment to her own _divinity_ \--the phrase "muse to the Goddess" floated around freely, nods of appreciation or admiration or even reverence passed by Elisabet and Aloy both. 

Choosing a Carja mate had proved a wider gap to bridge, though one that was slowly closing--Talanah's training of the braves had earned her goodwill from the war party and Sona alike. And besides, Aloy imagined many were secretly relieved--that the strange outcast-turned-Seeker-turned-Anointed who routinely broke all taboos had chosen someone who wasn't one of their faithful sons or daughters to lead astray. Being with a mate from one of the Faithless tribes seemed a blessing in disguise--that no other Nora would be led down her path of rule breaking, no matter how sanctioned by Teersa it might be.

Still, those who were in opposition were becoming louder, their mindset more concentrated with Lansra and Resh at the helm. While Aloy did her best to ignore the whispers and occasional shouts, she couldn't help but feel rage press at her sternum when their insults were hurled at Talanah or her mother. She'd resisted the urge to retaliate, knowing it wouldn't help their efforts, but it worried her all the same.

The Nora were becoming divided, and a loud, angry minority could be dangerous to contend with.

Talanah shifted beneath her, now clearly awake and shaking Aloy from her half-asleep brooding. "Mm," the Sun-Hawk began, "how are you _this_ warm?" she asked, tangling their limbs like she had no intention of ever leaving.

Aloy smiled coyly. "Maybe I'm just used to it. Why? Too hot for you? I could stop," she teased, feigning pulling away--which Talanah instantly rebuffed, pulling her even tighter.

"Never," Talanah said. "In fact, I'm not going to leave this bed until summer returns. I can't. I'll freeze out there. The Sun has clearly forsaken this land," she joked.

"Oh you don't know cold until you've been in the Cut. Like a thousand winters hitting at once," Aloy taunted. 

"Guess I should count myself lucky then that I'm here with you instead," Talanah replied, sitting up and kissing the girl on the cheek. She knew she could only stall for so long. Just as well to get it over with and get up, the cold sending a chill down her skin.

Aloy blushed hard and squeezed her hand. "Let's get going. I need to talk to Teersa."

Talanah shivered, arms reaching for Aloy to soak up her warmth.

The redhead smiled. "But first, let's get you a cloak."

\------

"How's Free Heap?" Elisabet asked into her Focus. She sat on the bed, staring out at the bust-length holo of Petra who seemed both eager to see her and weary all the same.

"Ah, you know..." Petra started, staring off. It wasn't like her usual jovial tone.

"What's wrong?" Elisabet asked, now concerned.

"It's nothing," Petra insisted, her forcefulness betraying that something was, indeed, wrong.

"Petra," Elisabet soothed. She wished so badly the Oseram were with her now. "If you don't tell me, I'll only worry. And I think I've had enough of that for several lifetimes."

"Fire and spit, woman, you know how to lay it on, don't you?" Petra huffed in faux exasperation. "Lis...trade's dying down. People are starting to get scared. Merchants and settlements have been attacked by the Daemon. It's getting worse."

Elisabet's face suddenly shifted, her body pitching forward and a deadly serious tone in her voice. "Shit, are you okay? Your people?"

"We...hammer to steel, we had a close call about a week ago," Petra admitted, shoulders nervously fidgeting. "Some of the Daemon's machines came near, chasing after a trade caravan. The traders made a sprint for Free Heap but it drew in the sawtooths. I still had a few of the cannons I'd made for Aloy in Meridian and we fought them off. I've got my people reinforcing our defenses," she said, with the slightest air of pride.

"Anyone hurt?"

"We lost two--you know my people aren't Oseram vanguards or soldiers--we're mostly tinkerers and delvers. We held our own the best we could. But um..." she hesitated, slowly raising her left arm which was visibly splinted and wrapped so that it came in view of the holo.

Elisabet hissed. "Petra, what happened?" she asked with concern.

"My cannons always had a recoil to them, never quite worked it out--you can ask Flame-Hair about that," she smirked. "One of the sawtooths had me pinned. I couldn't readjust to hold it properly--it was shoot or die--so I shot. Kick-back at that angle was so hard it broke my arm," Petra said, grimacing. 

Elisabet's expression crumpled and she covered her mouth with her hand. God, she felt guilty. "Why didn't you _call?_ "

Petra smiled sheepishly. "Lis, we're all fighting our own battles. You and I haven't talked much since you left and I figured you had your hands full with the girls--not to mention the Nora. I'm not dying. Never was. And I've got people to take care of. They're looking to me to lead. Besides, it'll take more than a rowdy sawtooth to put this forge out of commission."

"You could have _died,_ Petra. Those machines nearly killed Aloy," Elisabet argued.

"No, what almost killed Aloy was this mysterious new model. The very thing we're bracing ourselves for. A sawtooth? C'mon, Lis. We Oseram women are built like tramplers," she said, smirking, amusement beginning to drip into her words. "Thought you'd have noticed that by now."

"Jesus, you never stop flirting, do you?" 

"Not so long as I'm alive," Petra teased, "and I plan to stay that way." There was a note of finality in her words undoubtedly meant to reassure Elisabet, to let her know the Oseram took the threat just as seriously as the redhead did.

"I love you," Elisabet said quietly, her voice cracking just a bit. "I can't lose anyone else. You know that."

"Neither can I," Petra replied knowingly. "Now hurry up and do what you need to do to get your ass back to Meridian before I become some lonely old woman."

"Will do," Elisabet smiled, hand reaching to tap her Focus.

"Hey Lis?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

\------

A small but insistent rap at the door startled Aloy, who was pulling on a fur-lined yet sleeveless tunic as she, Talanah, and Elisabet gathered in the main room, ready to head out. Talanah and Elisabet had outfitted themselves with their thick traveling cloaks, and yet the Sun-Hawk still shivered. The girl had been adamant that the three needed to speak with Teersa, no longer content to wait for a verdict on entering the Cradle. Elisabet had to admit her own relief at Aloy's determination--the attack on Free Heap having left an icy pang of worry in her stomach.

"Who could that be?" Talanah asked, and at nearly the same moment, Aloy opened the door.

"Teersa!" the girl exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" It was still early morning and a chill seeped in through the open entryway. It was unusual for the Matriarch to venture out herself. Conspicuous. "You didn't send a messenger?"

"This could not wait, child. And it is far too important to be trusted to anyone beyond myself. I fear the worst has happened," the old woman quickly explained, eyes darting back and forth, as if she were bracing for attack.

"Do you want to come in, or--" 

"There's no time for that, Aloy. Please. Follow," Teersa started before catching the eyes of Elisabet and Talanah. "Your mother and mate must come as well. Hurry."

The trio followed the old woman, Aloy and Talanah instinctively flanking her while Elisabet followed closely behind. "Teersa, what's wrong?" Aloy asked with hushed breath.

The old woman talked in low, whispered tones as they walked, careful to take a roundabout route so as to avoid prying eyes. "I took what you asked for under advisement," Teersa said. "I prayed to the All-Mother."

"And?" Aloy asked.

"And I believe the surest way to protect the Nora is through you, Aloy. I have always believed it. Even if the Goddess commands you to bring foreigners into our sacred spaces, I must believe it is for the greater good or All-Mother would not ask it."

"It is true, I would not," GAIA whispered into Elisabet's ear. The older woman simply smirked, suppressing the urge to playfully admonish the AI.

"So Lansra actually agreed?" Aloy asked incredulously.

Teersa shook her head, causing her headdress and lengthy braids to rattle. "She did not take it well, Aloy. It was all I could do to prevent her from sending Resh after you herself."

Talanah stiffened. Aloy had rarely mentioned this Resh character, but everything the Sun-Hawk had heard made her seethe with anger. If he so much as laid a hand on Aloy, he would suffer for it--diplomacy be damned. Elisabet could see the tension roil through the dark-haired woman, the hair on the back of her own neck raised, her pulse quickening. The older woman placed a gentle hand on the back of Talanah's arm as if to quell her urge to fight.

"So what are we doing if we don't have permission to go in?" Aloy asked softly, holding her breath in anticipation of the answer.

Teersa glanced up at her with a wry smile. "Much like our Anointed, I too, am capable of breaking the rules. If what you say is true, Lansra will realize the error of her ways, but we must get the three of you inside before she rallies the efforts of the dissidents. I fear she may suspect that I will not adhere to tribal law and attempt to stop you. We must reach the Womb of the Mountain before she and Resh can gather their forces. I do not relish the idea of a split within the Nora and I would prefer this done quietly."

Aloy pressed her lips into a thin line. She knew how much it meant that Teersa had put so such faith in her and her mother. "Thank you, Teersa. Really."

The old woman waved her hand, as if brushing off the praise. "You can thank me by ensuring the survival of our people, Aloy. The Nora have paid for our poor interpretation of the Goddess' will with enough blood. Enough lives," she said, suddenly sounding tired and defeated.

Aloy paused, squaring her shoulders and placing her hands on Teersa's. "Teersa, I can assure you the Goddess does not ask for the blood of those she watches over. She wants her people--she wants everyone--to finally be free of the...evil and Derangement that has cost so many lives," the redhead said carefully, still trying to watch her words. 

Teersa smiled genuinely. "Then All-Mother is as benevolent as I have always hoped. Come, quickly now."

The three picked up their pace, making their way through the village to the entrance of ELEUTHIA-9. Or at least that was how Elisabet saw it, laying her eyes on the opening to the facility for the first time in a thousand years. It made her breath hitch to see, realizing now how the Nora had built around it, an entire settlement surrounding the open mouth of the mountain.

Teersa ushered them in with a sense of urgency that Aloy had rarely seen from the aging woman and didn't discount the creeping dread building inside herself. Mother's Watch was eerily quiet--more so than she had even expected. If Lansra and Resh really did gather angry Nora to stop them, it could be the start of a bloody and unforgiving conflict. 

"I am with you," GAIA soothed into Aloy's Focus, as if on cue. The girl gave a half smile and paused, no longer feeling the need to flank Teersa now that they were no longer in the open. She dropped back and grabbed Elisabet's hand, knowing the older woman was agape at the facility as they quickly walked inside. 

Elisabet stopped suddenly, staring at the wall of the cavern, illuminated by candlelight. "These drawings..." she muttered, awed. They must have been from the first broods to leave the Cradle, she reasoned. A new generation of cave paintings--if only they knew.

"There are more inside," Aloy said apologetically, knowing there wasn't time to dwell. She swore she could hear a distant murmur, and if Lansra's devotees were on their way, she wanted to be safely inside before they could interfere.

Elisabet's eyes scanned over the glow of the interior as they moved deeper and deeper, her own memory fighting with her to reconcile the clean steel minimalism the facility had once held with the reclamation of nature she now witnessed. In a way, it was satisfying. Everything she'd ever wanted, really. Even if it had happened in the most fucked up way possible. She grimaced. What would the other Alphas have thought of all this? To see their old designs and technology so misconstrued? To see it worshipped and taken for divinity?

Travis would have laughed.

Margo would have been fascinated.

And Samina? Samina would have given her that same sad but hopeful smile she always did, and attempted to see the good in it.

Talanah seemed equally awed and Aloy moved briefly from Elisabet's side to lace her fingers with the Sun-Hawk's. "You okay?" 

"Not every day a Carja gets to see the inner sanctum of the Nora," Talanah said, flashing a bright smile. The dark-haired woman squeezed Aloy's hand. "Don't worry, little Thrush. Whatever Lansra and this Resh person think they have in store, I can guarantee they won't get through me."

Teersa's wrist rotated over the holo-lock that Elisabet knew the old woman couldn't see without a Focus. She must have memorized its location through years of habit, the redhead realized and for a second time she was struck by the notion that the very things she had built and designed were considered ancient. Ritualistic. Unknowable in a way so distant from herself.

Aloy's growing sense of dread hadn't ebbed, and the distant sound of voices had seemed to gain in volume, though she couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from. A bead of sweat gathered at the center of her chest and despite Talanah's fingers threaded through her own, her hand suddenly felt cold.

The door opened and the group's eyes went wide, a large contingent of Nora facing them inside the entrance to the Womb of the Mountain. Dozens of bodies had gathered there, expressions on edge with confusion or anger or worry. Aloy's eyes caught Sona's and Varl's, while she heard Teb shout her name. How had this happened? How had Lansra gotten the upper hand?

"You see, Nora faithful? You see how my _sister_ attempts to blaspheme in collusion with the false-Anointed?" Lansra's voice called out amidst the crowd. She stood at the rear, the group having parted for her. Resh stood at her side, sneering. 

"Braves, bring them here!" Resh barked and from out of the crowd, a group of Nora circled Aloy and her companions. The redhead and Talanah tensed, and the dark-haired woman looked to Aloy for a signal. She quickly nodded a no. There was no way. They were hopelessly outnumbered and if Talanah were part of the fight, there was no doubt war would erupt between the Nora and the Carja once again.

The braves shuffled the group forward and Elisabet found herself shaking despite her better efforts. So afraid to let anything happen to the girl. She felt like there was a vice grip on her heart, a deep sinking knowledge that everything had gone wrong.

"What are you doing, Lansra?" Teersa growled.

"Exposing you and the _abomination_ for what you are! I knew you would defy our laws and so, sister, I have finally beaten you to the chase!"

"So you bring those who would let fear and doubt rule them?" Teersa retorted.

"Look around you! I have brought everyone so that they may witness the treachery of you and your ilk themselves!" Lansra boasted, and it was true. Aloy looked around to find faces both friendly and afraid. Terrified and encouraging. She caught Sona's eye, and the woman merely nodded. She would help if it came down to it, but Aloy knew that unarmed, outnumbered, and unprepared still didn't offer good odds. More importantly still--she was hesitant to risk violence. Aloy could handle herself, but she didn't dare risk the lives of her mother or her mate--even if Talanah was capable.

"Nora faithful!" Lansra said, addressing the crowd. "Teersa would have you believe that the Goddess wills _foreigners_ into the Womb of the Mountain. A Faithless _Carja_ in our most sacred space! One your _false Anointed_ has taken for a blasphemous _mate._ "

Talanah's fist curled and body tensed at the insult, and Aloy could see every muscle in her throat coil.

"Not so quick, girl," Resh threatened. As he did so, one of the circled braves pressed forward, causing Talanah to bring her hands up, steeling her guard and readying to move when the brave pulled a short blade and held it at the ready, eager to gut the dark-haired woman. "You wouldn't want to throw the first punch, would you, _Carja?_ Because that would be an act of _war,_ " Resh sneered.

"You touch her..." Aloy started.

"And what?" Rest barked. "You so much as twitch and I will ensure the Carja meets her Sun-God rather quickly."

The girl could feel bile rising in her throat and her heart thudding in her ears. This was all going so, so, wrong. As terribly as she had feared.

"Aloy, remain calm," GAIA reassured into the young woman's Focus. "I will not allow harm to come to any of you."

Aloy swallowed harshly, nodding ever so imperceptibly. Her involvement was a last resort, and the AI knew it.

"Lansra, cease this foolishness!" Teersa commanded. "You embarrass yourself in front of the Anointed and the Goddess' muse."

"Muse, ha!" Lansra spat. "You're the fool if you believe the tale the girl has spun to blind you from the truth. Is it not clear that the woman is her mother? She reveals herself! She is not of the Goddess, she is of a woman who _abandoned_ her child and debased our sacred mountain by leaving the girl here."

Voices in the crowd rose, the rift between those who believed the girl and those who didn't deepening. Aloy caught Sona shifting uncomfortably, she and Varl trying to rally Aloy's supporters despite the murmurs that agreed with Lansra gaining in volume.

"Lansra, we have to get inside," Aloy pleaded. "It's the only way to keep the Daemon from returning. We can finally end the Derangement!"

"Lies!" Resh retorted. "The High Matriarch has heard enough falsehoods. You bring nothing but suffering to the Nora and we will not allow you to dishonor All-Mother." The crowd became more divided, with whoops and hollers cheering on Resh, and an equal number voicing their displeasure with his accusations. 

Elisabet watched as she saw Aloy bite her lip in barely restrained fury as the voices in the chamber hit a fever pitch, the crowd now openly screaming against each other, women and men at each other's throats, the fissure in the tribe plainly visible as an electricity of imminent violence crackled in the air.

"Now we will set things right with the Goddess," Lansra decreed. "The Nora will be punished according to our laws! And the _foreigners_ will be forbidden from the Sacred Land under pain of death! Resh, take them away!"

The gathered Nora erupted into a frenzy of action. Screams of agreement, yelps of opposition, men and women at each other's throats. Somewhere in the distance, the women could hear Sona and Varl shouting orders for calm in a deep, forceful bellow; Teb's voice floating along the crowd calling for restraint while the sounds of fist on flesh echoed throughout, fights beginning to erupt.

One of the braves grabbed Elisabet forcefully, the older woman trying fruitlessly to break his grip by throwing her elbow. It landed solidly in the man's gut, but he held on in spite of her. A look of absolute terror crossed her face as she realized there was no telling what the Nora might do to her daughter, not while Lansra had usurped power. Her stomach churned and heart raced. "Aloy!" Elisabet yelled.

"No!" Aloy screamed, and then, seeing the next brave rope his arms around the Sun-Hawk, "Talanah! Stop! Leave her alone!"

"Quiet, girl!" Resh ordered, smiling viciously. "Or we'll do worse than banishing them."

"Don't you _touch_ them! Mother!" Aloy shrieked, leaping forward, feeling her blood burn in her veins. Resh grabbed her tightly by the wrist, hard enough to bruise. They were taking them from her. Taking everyone she loved. Her insides rebelled and her hands shook with the notion that both women were slipping away. Her life had taken everyone. Had taken Rost. Was taking her mate. Was taking her _mother._

_Her mother._

The chamber exploded into full on chaos, the Nora fighting amongst themselves, bodies pushing and pulling, fists and feet flying.

Her blood pounded so hard she thought she might be sick as it all played out in slow motion: Elisabet kicking and thrashing, Talanah reaching for her, but valiantly resisting the urge to fight back and cause another bloody conflict, the braves harshly dragging both women. Aloy couldn't decide what to do, weighing the consequences of starting an intertribal war over losing them both, perhaps even paying for all of it with her own life. She couldn't breathe, couldn't find another way out. It was now or never.

"GAIA, I need you!" Aloy called into her Focus, panic and fear causing her voice to crack. "Please!"

"Rerouting projection map to ELEUTHIA-9 holo-entry system," GAIA responded calmly. "Do not be afraid, my child."

\------

The Womb of the Mountain was silent, air thick and heavy.

Before the Nora stood an image none could comprehend, a woman made of light, standing larger than life. Her dark skin contrasted a bright, crimson dress while small pieces of greenery and particulate floated effervescently in orbit around her. 

"How _dare_ you?" the woman made of light bellowed. "How _dare_ all of you?"

Teersa fell to her knees in worship, immediately recognizing the divine. "All-Mother!" she shouted. 

Lansra and Resh froze in place, mouths agape in disbelief. The rest of the chamber had followed suit, a few falling to the ground in supplication while the majority were paralyzed by a mix of fear and awe.

"Unhand my _daughter,_ " GAIA commanded with a tinge of anger in her voice.

Resh looked to Lansra for direction while the High Matriarch looked on in confusion.

"Do you not recognize your _Goddess?_ " she asked. The crowd gasped, the collective intake of air palpable. Cries and wails could be heard, calls for forgiveness or strength or both. "Release her, her mate, and my muse," GAIA continued sternly.

Resh's hand fell limply from Aloy's wrist while the other braves instantly released Talanah and Elisabet, backing away quickly and kneeling before the hovering woman. The Sun-Hawk sprinted forward as soon as she was free, enveloping the redhead in her arms. Elisabet followed suit, taking the girl next and placing a kiss on her forehead. The worry and guilt on Aloy's face echoed her own, and the older woman pulled her in close, tucking the girl's head against her throat while her hand stroked soothingly along her back. She could feel Aloy trying hard to regain her composure, breath fast and scared. The girl gripped Elisabet's shoulder, anchoring them while Talanah reached for her left arm, tangling their fingers together. The three watched in silent relief as they allowed GAIA to play her part.

"A-All-Mother?" Lansra asked meekly, trembling. "You...you have revealed yourself to us?"

"You forget yourselves," GAIA responded forcefully, her voice reverberating throughout the chamber. "And I have come to remind you. You have committed many wrongdoings in my name. Can you not see my creation before you? Can you not see I fashioned her to _help_ you? Yet many of you have spurned my daughter at every turn! You have outcasted her, ridiculed and insulted her. You have dishonored your Goddess, for when you have hurt her, you have also hurt me."

"Getting a little biblical, aren't you?" Elisabet whispered into her Focus with an air of snark. She swore she could hear GAIA chuckle back in response.

"But how?" Lansra asked, voice small. "How can all this be true? That the girl is both yours and the woman's?"

"Neither my daughter nor my muse have mislead you. Can you not see how clearly I created my daughter in this woman's image? How I took her for inspiration?

The crowd looked back and forth between the two redheads, muttered agreements fluttering through. Even Lansra's eyes darted between the women, unable to deny GAIA's argument. Suddenly, she dropped, head to the ground. "F-forgive!" she shouted. "Forgive!" Soon after, Resh followed, the two cowering under the eyes of their All-Mother.

"The Nora will gladly accept our punishment for dishonoring you," Teersa volunteered. 

GAIA's expression softened and her dress changed to a vibrant green, a collective awe spreading through the gathered Nora. Her image shrank down, so that she no longer towered over them, but instead matched her height with Elisabet. She padded forward gracefully, her ethereal feet transparent. "Please, Teersa, rise."

The old woman stood and had tears in her eyes. "All-Mother...you know my name?"

GAIA smiled. "Of course I do, as I know all peoples I have created," she replied. It was true, in its own way. She had monitored the genealogies for centuries. Before losing the sub-functions, she had been knowledgable about nearly every being within a reasonable distance of her tech. 

"Teersa, at every turn, you have extended kindness and understanding. And I do not mean only to Aloy. She is but one of many Nora you have helped. You believed in her, you supported her mate, you believed my muse and you saw my work for what it is. Why is that?"

"A-All-Mother, I have always believed in your...benevolence. Your goodness. Your loving qualities."

"Then why do you think I would punish the Nora now?" GAIA asked, a warm smile spreading along her transparent features.

"...Were the attacks by the Eclipse, the Buried Shadow, and the Daemon not the price we paid for past misdeeds?" Teersa asked, her expression unreadable.

GAIA shook her head softly. "Never. I do not seek to exact punishment in lives lost or bloodshed. I created Aloy to help preserve life, not destroy it in wrath."

The old woman's eyes glistened and she shook but remained resolute. "Then it is just as Aloy said. What do you ask of us, All-Mother?"

GAIA looked around the room, her eyes lingering on Lansra and Resh. "That you be kind. That you do not outcast those whose only crime is being different. That you extend that kindness to others and understand _all people_ are my creations, not just the Nora. No matter what tribe you hail from, no matter what you worship, you are considered my own. Under my protection and care. The Carja, the Banuk, the Oseram, the Nora, and all tribes are all welcome in my arms."

Teersa's head bowed. "It seems we were mistaken about a great many things."

GAIA's expression was soft and understanding. She smiled gently and looked the woman straight in the eyes. "The only mistake was letting fear dictate how you live. Your stories tell of my parting words last I spoke to the first peoples. What did I say?"

"Y-you told us to be brave, All-Mother. That you would dream of us."

"And so I did," GAIA agreed, noting to herself how fitting the motherly servitor bot's final words had been to the brood of teens released from the Cradle, grateful now that she had scraped Aloy's Focus for the idea. "Kindness is a form of bravery. Belief is bravery, especially belief in ideas that are strange or new. Being open to change is bravery. I have asked only this of the Nora, and it is all I will ever ask. It is all I have ever asked of Aloy herself."

GAIA gestured toward the three women, still huddled together just outside of the metal platform that led to the Cradle, beckoning them to join her.

Aloy and Elisabet moved first, with Talanah following, the three now standing on the platform next to GAIA's projection.

The AI placed a hand around Aloy's shoulders. "This," GAIA said to the crowd gathered there, "is my daughter and I created her here, in the Womb of the Mountain." Her projected hand stroked Elisabet's cheek with her knuckles before continuing. "I was so struck by the strength and wisdom of my muse, Elisabet, her earthly mother, that I took of her blood to fashion the girl. This is the truth I say to you. To believe it is _brave._ " It was the most accurate thing she had said to the Nora since appearing.

Elisabet blushed intensely. God, GAIA was laying it on thick, but she supposed if the AI was going to convince an entire tribe that she was their Goddess, she may as well act the part. She smirked, part of her convinced that GAIA was _thoroughly_ enjoying herself.

Heads bowed and prayers were whispered, the Nora looking on like schoolchildren receiving a lesson.

"Aloy has never been false in her intentions," GAIA continued. "I asked her to return here. To help the Nora who have suffered so much, but also to enter into the mountain so as to assist me in ending the Daemon, ending the Derangement. To help me restore peace to all tribes who have suffered the violence of the machines. They were never intended to harm you. That they do is a corruption--similar to the Corruption that Aloy healed in me. It is why I am finally able to speak," she said, genuinely mournful that her creations had hurt humanity.

"Y-you created them? Are the machines not of the Old Ones? The Metal World? Humanity's hubris?" Teersa asked meekly.

GAIA looked at her sadly. "Long ago, perhaps, yes. But the machines that you have seen for generations are mine, created for good. Their purpose is to provide you with a fruitful land you may thrive in, nothing more. Nothing less."

Teersa nodded knowingly. "I remember when they were docile, before the dangerous ones emerged."

"No machine I have ever created was intended for death, Teersa. I _serve life_ ," GAIA said, her hand appearing to wrap around Aloy's while her eyes lingered on Elisabet who blushed even harder. GAIA was really pulling out all the stops with this one, and leave it to an AI to make it an educational moment. It would have made the older redhead laugh if the situation hadn't been so dire just minutes before. Aloy was clearly glad for the turn of events, though her hand still clung tightly to Talanah, as if loosening her grip would mean she'd be taken once again.

"Nora faithful," GAIA said, addressing the group, "Redeem yourselves. Make amends with your brothers and sisters--your Matriarchs and your braves. Please, allow my daughter, her mother, and her mate to do as I have hoped they would: heal the world. Allow them safe passage into the Womb of the Mountain as they see fit. What say you?"

A crowing cheer rose up from the crowd the sentiment was clear. Aloy could hear the voices of Teb, Sona, and Varl the loudest, shouting their support. GAIA opened the doors to the Cradle and a brilliant white light shined from within as the ancient mechanisms moved. Before anyone could consider otherwise, Elisabet led Talanah and Aloy inside, the door sealing behind them.

"All-Mother, you have graced us with your presence. I never thought I would be so blessed as to witness you with my own eyes," Teersa said. "Will you stay among your people?"

"I am everywhere," GAIA responded, "In all things. The land, the water, the air, the plants and the animals. All of humanity bears the mark of my work."

"Will we see you again?"

GAIA nodded warmly, glad in fact that she had finally been able to contact the tribal inhabitants, as she had always meant to. As the Alphas had always intended her to. Finally, another piece of Zero Dawn had fallen into place and it brought her a deep sense of completeness. "Someday," she confirmed. "I watch and I listen, and I will come when the time is right."

The old woman nodded. It was good enough. 

GAIA gestured, palms out as she addressed the Nora while her projection dematerialized. 

"Heed my words. Be brave. Be kind."

The projection had fully disappeared and the crowd remained in silence, the muffled sounds of prayers or tears of joy or both filtering in and out. After several minutes, Teersa took Lansra by the hand, lifting the old woman to her feet. 

"Come, sister," Teersa said, a renewed spark in her eyes. "We have much to repair."

\------

Purple-blue light spilled across their skin and Talanah's eyes went wide at the unnatural color.

Aloy was the first to exhale, instantly hugging Talanah as soon as they were safely sealed inside. She swallowed hard. "Hey, it's all right, little Thrush. I'm here."

"We're okay, kiddo," Elisabet reassured, her fingers tucking back a loose strand of Aloy's hair. "Sure came close though."

"I should have done something sooner," Aloy said, voice low. 

"You did the right thing by calling for GAIA. There weren't any better options. By the Sun, if you or I had struck, you know it would have meant war," Talanah said softly. 

"Yeah, speaking of GAIA, that was some performance," Elisabet said into her Focus, raising her eyebrow.

The AI appeared before them, visible through their Focuses, a smirk of supreme enjoyment across her face. "Thank you, Elisabet. Your praise is most welcomed."

"Guess the award for best actress goes to you," Elisabet said slyly. 

"I was merely borrowing from a long history of religious literature, Elisabet. I thought you might approve of my divine facsimile. Besides, it was not entirely untrue. I was as gentle as I could be with their beliefs."

"Yeah, at least you didn't conjure up a burning bush," the older woman chuckled.

"Thank you, GAIA. You...you really saved us back there," Aloy said.

"I promised I would not let harm come to you," GAIA replied softly. "Even if you had not called out for me, I would have done so of my own accord."

"I think you scared Resh and Lansra half to death," the girl said, ever so slightly amused and grinning.

"You were gentler with them than I would have been in your position. When Resh put his hand on her I--" Elisabet started.

"I admit I did not take well to their actions against our daughter, but the Nora are not bad people, Elisabet. They simply needed a... _push_ in the right direction," GAIA contested.

"Ever the optimist."

Talanah looked around at the steel and brushed metal, the facility more intact than any other in the region, her eyes adjusting to the relatively dark space. It was so unfamiliar, so _cold_ and unnatural feeling and suddenly she felt just the slightest bit unnerved, squeezing Aloy's hand. 

"Well," Elisabet said, the humor having drained from her voice. "We should get moving. We're lucky GAIA got us in at all." The AI's projection faded and the redhead began to walk forward. She knew this facility, had helped design it herself along with Patrick and Samina. She shook her head, an uneasy sense of deja vu spreading inside her. For all the successes of Zero Dawn, this place held an equal amount of failure.

"Here," Aloy offered, "I'll lead. It's decayed since you last saw it. I don't want you to lose your footing." 

The huntress stepped ahead of her mother and the Sun-Hawk, guiding them into the first hallway, doors flanking them on either side. Talanah gripped Aloy harder. She'd never been inside the ruins of the Old Ones, and while she hated to admit it, part of her was scared of what she'd see. Of what she'd learn about humanity's past failings. Of what she'd struggle to accept and understand. Of what she'd learn about the woman she loved. She would face a thousand soldiers without batting an eye, but this--this was something else.

"Little Thrush..." Talanah said quietly, seeking reassurance. She'd be damned if she admitted her fear outright.

"It's okay, Talanah," Aloy said. The girl took a breath, steeling herself. She held the Sun-Hawk's hand and took a step through the threshold.

"This is the place where I was _born._ "


	16. Where You Come From

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back on the FEELS train for another chapter~

The huntress stepped ahead of her mother and the Sun-Hawk, guiding them down the stairs and into the first hallway, gingerly stepping around the remains of the long-decommissioned servitors before realizing that Elisabet had stopped, again engrossed by the cave-like paintings. 

This time she had the luxury to examine up close, realizing that the drawing was of the children themselves, the figure of a servitor holding hands with them. She bit her lip. She'd known how the facility failed after the loss of APOLLO. She'd heard it time and time again from Aloy and GAIA both and yet nothing had prepared her to see it up close. So much of Zero Dawn had been a success, and now she was faced with its failure. The children had been trapped in this upper level, unable to access the Lyceum. She knew it, objectively, but it was another thing to see the evidence herself.

Talanah clung to Aloy's arm with more anxiety than she expected. The decayed _things_ that looked like near-skeletal humans unnerved her. Disturbed her as if she were walking into a grave. It was eerie, knowing that humanity had come back from the dead here. 

Elisabet walked forward, seeing the battered door that was supposed to lead to the learning center and adolescent quarters below--a door that had never opened for the children who were raised here. The rage of the first broods was evident, the door beaten and filthy with the efforts of dozens of children-turned-teenagers who had exerted their frustrations upon the symbol of their confinement. Her fingertips lingered at the edge.

"Mother," Aloy called gently. She knew it was hard for Elisabet to see the old ruins that still felt so recent to her--she'd seen firsthand how painful it had been for the older woman to face Prime, and now here she was, facing a far more intact ELEUTHIA-9. It might not have been filled with the bodies of the Alphas, but their work here was much more evident, more preserved and explicit, a sharp reminder of all they'd dared to achieve as the Faro Plague scoured the earth, devouring everything it touched.

Aloy broke away from Talanah briefly and slowly padded over to Elisabet's frozen form. "Mother," she repeated again softly. 

Elisabet shook her head, clearing away the fog of grief and regret, at least for the moment. "Sorry," she muttered. "It's..."

"I know," Aloy reassured. She took the older woman's hand in her own. "There's something I want to show you. Both of you."

The huntress guided Elisabet and Talanah over to the first side room. She heard Talanah gasp at the sheer enormity of the stacked Far Zenith pods as they hung, suspended over the railing in a permanent state of low power. Only one pod remained in any sort of powered state, having been positioned to align with the decking. 

"W-what are these?" Talanah asked, looking around at the room in awe.

"Artificial wombs," Aloy answered. The Sun-Hawk's eyes only became wider. But how could this be possible? To think that these tubes had created anything living at all was nearly beyond her ability to imagine. Still, she knew it was true. She'd heard the stories from Aloy herself and she had no reason to doubt the girl now. She swallowed heavily as a greater sense of unease settled in her stomach.

Elisabet walked to the edge, to the ectogenic chamber that resided there, a smile spilling over her face as she checked the readout on her Focus. She gingerly placed a palm against the glass, the interface reacting to her touch. "So this was hers?" she asked, half into her Focus, and half in the direction of the younger redhead. Aloy nodded, stepping close to her mother's side.

"I did my very best work in it," GAIA chimed proudly into her ear. 

"Damn right," Elisabet agreed quietly, her eyes reverently scanning along the chamber's features. 

It felt so recent to her; just over a year prior, she and Patrick had seen the first installations' success. It had been a major breakthrough, a sign that humanity had a _chance._ It had only been few months later when she'd finally scrapped the Lightkeeper program, the sick feeling she'd had over it not resolving until she'd done so. She'd never expected that any of the pods would have been used for her own genetic material, much less used to create the woman standing by her side now. 

Aloy leaned her weight into Elisabet's side, her head gently tilting until it met the older woman's. Standing like this for just a moment of calm, Aloy was able to feel just how similar they were. She held her hand next to her mother's, comparing the same pale, freckled skin. The same slender fingers, the same arch of their knuckles. Elisabet felt the girl's movement beside her, smiling down as she caught sight of the comparison. The older woman wrapped one arm around the girl's waist, placing a quick kiss at her hairline. Her palm remained flush against the glass, as if she could feel what she'd missed out on, a deep pang residing in her chest.

"I wasn't here," she lamented, mostly to herself. Aloy had grown alone, in a dark and desolate facility and Elisabet found herself pining for an alternate version of events in which she had been the girl's first home, rather than leaving her alone, without even GAIA's full consciousness to watch over her.

"You were always there," GAIA corrected, letting the familiar audio filter into Elisabet's Focus, two intertwining rhythms competing--no, _coexisting_ \--in the same soundscape, one fast and fluttering and the other slow and heavy and calm.

Aloy's eyes closed in contentment, indicating to Elisabet that she was hearing the same thing. 

"I'm sorry," the older woman offered. 

"I'm not," Aloy countered. "You're here now."

"You know if I could have--"

"--I know," the huntress finished. 

Elisabet wiped at her eyes, clearing her throat conspicuously. "I, uh, I should probably find a good interface for a local connection."

"Do you want me to help you?" Aloy asked.

Elisabet chuckled. "I built this place, kiddo. I'll find my way around. Besides I...I might need some...time."

Aloy nodded, hugging the older woman, who turned, giving the ectogenic chamber one last look of longing before moving back to the hallway.

The two young huntresses stood alone, their bodies silhouetted by the soft purple-blue glow of the electronics before them. Talanah stepped forward tentatively, "So this is where you...?"

Aloy made a sound of noncommittal agreement. Even now, it sometimes sounded so strange to her. Stranger, even, than when she'd first learned of her origins. Now that Elisabet was in her life, the disconnect between being of her flesh while never having grown within it left her with a tug and pull of emotions.

"I don't understand," the Sun-Hawk admitted. "How could this _thing_...?" 

Aloy stiffened at the way Talanah stressed the word. There was still a small part of her that feared being perceived that way. As a _thing_ rather than a person. She knew it wasn't true, but it still scared her deeply to consider that the Sun-Hawk might think so.

"It works much like your own body would," GAIA offered, detecting distress in Aloy's vitals. "While the means are artificial, I can assure you the process is not." The AI's tone was gentle but with tiniest hint of defensiveness for her daughter's sake. 

Talanah's eyes darted between Aloy and the tank and she could feel the color draining from her face. It was so much to take in. So much to comprehend, that this person, this _woman_ she loved had come from a near-nothingness. How could the Old Ones have wielded such power over life and death? So much and yet not enough to save themselves? "Sun and Shadow..." she breathed, her legs shaking. "I just...we're all from here?"

"There are several Cradle facilities throughout the world," GAIA clarified, "Three in the North American continent alone. Statistically, everyone you have ever known, from every tribe you have ever heard of did, in fact, descend from the first broods born here."

Aloy leaned close, her hand on the small of Talanah's back. "For all our fighting, the Nora and the Carja are the same," the redhead said.

"So we were once one tribe, before even Araman himself," the Sun-Hawk mused.

"Are you okay?" Aloy asked. "I know it's...it's hard to see it for yourself. Different than just hearing a story."

Talanah swallowed, a sick feeling flooding through her. "I-I don't know. It seems _wrong_ somehow. We came from _machines._ How...how can that be right?"

At that moment, Aloy's hand fell from Talanah's back, every fear she'd harbored since returning flaring deep in her belly. "I came from a machine," she said flatly. "Does that make me _wrong?_ "

Talanah cringed at her misstep. "Aloy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's _fine,_ " the redhead shot back. 

It wasn't, and both women knew it.

\------

Elisabet had retraced her steps back into the hall, meandering into the nursery areas, letting her hands silently trace the patterns of the control panels she and Patrick had worked on, her eyes poring over kindergarten equipment. Everything was broken or painted on and it was clear that the brood born here had overstayed the upper level's usefulness. That they had grown angry and frustrated with an environment that no longer matched their development. She couldn't blame them. She was angry too. Angry that her greatest hope for humanity--their education the preservation of history--had never come to fruition. Hell, after what Ted had done, it never stood a chance.

The redhead found herself again at the battered door, knowing where it would lead. Knowing it had never opened for anyone beyond Aloy and now, herself. A tragedy, really, that the facilities below remained in near-pristine condition. Unused. Another dream of the future lost to Ted's fucking _shame._

Elisabet hesitated. She knew that the APOLLO workstations would be down there, and past them, the brood control room, which was her most likely access port to the wider networked system. She swallowed back her dread. The Lyceum had been Samina's project. Samina at her best--not as the dying and gasping woman she'd seen in the holo at Prime, but as the optimistic woman she'd known. Someone with passion and a true belief that her work would carry on, despite the mounting odds, despite the despair that had permeated every waking hour of their existence at Zero Dawn.

She sighed. There was no choice. She stepped forward, allowing the holo-system to identify her and permit access. The door slid open with a hiss and Elisabet made her way down the stairs, looking out at the rows upon rows of empty and untouched workstations, still bearing the Faro logo. She gritted her teeth. 

Fucking Ted.

Dead a thousand years and still haunting her whenever he got the chance.

She padded forward quietly, as if she didn't want to disturb the ghost of what could have been. She saw dozens of Focuses, some still powered and others inert. She pocketed as many as she could, making a mental note that they might become useful. She continued through the row until she heard it. A voice so familiar and calming, and yet it struck so much pain in her chest that she was left breathless.

The holo of Samina Ebadji played out its message, a frozen moment in time in which the woman would never know of APOLLO's loss. Elisabet watched, frozen in place, sick grief surging through her. She could nearly recite the introduction word for word--Samina had practiced it so many times in front of her.

_"Hello, child. My name is Samina. Today is a big day. Your first day of school. There's so much for you to learn. So much promise and possibility. You'll find that from this point on, your world just keeps on getting bigger and bigger. Starting today, you'll be living in a bigger room- one large enough to fit your growing body. And before long, you'll start meeting other children - children who grew up in other Broods like yours, in separate areas, here on the inside. But the biggest world is the one you will all share: the world of knowledge. Of everything that the people who came before you thought, and felt, and dreamed. It was a beautiful world, but as you'll discover, it was a troubled one, too. Our dearest hope is that you will do better. Now, it's time for you to meet two very important people: a man named Aristotle, and a woman named Aspasia. They will be your guides to the world of knowledge. I wish you fulfillment and enlightenment in your journeys ahead."_

The holo ended and the redhead was left alone in the quiet once again.

"Oh, Sam," Elisabet breathed, voice barely above a whisper. She felt the world was tilting, nothing made sense. Where was the justice that she had lived and Samina had died? The woman who had sustained her sanity while working on Zero Dawn--the one who had cared for her in the darkest times imaginable--she was gone. She was ancient and dead and Elisabet was the only survivor of a world that no longer existed. It had been a blessing and a curse, in so many ways. She'd been prepared to die when she'd left Prime, and yet here she was, in an indescribably different future with a daughter, a woman she loved, and another mass extinction event to circumvent, mourning a woman who should have lived the rest of her life out comfortably in the safety of GAIA Prime.

Elisabet bent low, trying not to dry heave. "I'm so, so, sorry, Sam."

The holo of the long-dead woman simply stared back, and for a moment, Elisabet almost expected a reply before she heard the error message.

_"Alert. Malfunction. APOLLO offline."_

The holo disappeared instantly, leaving the redhead alone in her despair.

"Goddammit, Ted, you son of a bitch!" she swore, screaming it to the empty darkness. He was the reason APOLLO failed. The reason Samina's life had been cut short. The reason the entire earth had been sentenced to death. He had ruined everything. 

Her eyes stung with unshed tears, anger overtaking her sadness and she idly wondered whether Aloy had heard her yell. She walked forward until finding the sliding doors she knew would be there, concealing the main control room. 

"Are you all right, Elisabet?" came the calm voice in her ear.

Elisabet swallowed the lump in her throat. "Can you ever be 'all right' after something like this?" she retorted. 

"Your point is well made," the AI conceded. 

"No, I'm sorry, GAIA. I-I didn't mean to...I just. I'm sorry."

"...I am certain Doctor Ebadji would still be proud of the future she helped create," GAIA offered.

"Not with so much lost," Elisabet contested.

"Not everything is lost, Elisabet," GAIA said. "APOLLO is gone, but as you are undoubtedly aware, each of my sub-functions are extremely well educated in their specific area of expertise. My base consciousness is also programmed with an abundance of cultural and historical reference--much of which you and Doctor Ebadji provided. Now that Faro's interference within my system is cleared, that information could be shared with the tribal inhabitants."

Elisabet nodded. It wouldn't be nearly the zettabytes of data Samina had intended for the world, but it wasn't nothing. The redhead had never fancied herself a teacher, but perhaps with her knowledge combined with GAIA's own...

She shook her head. Later. She could think about that later. There wouldn't be a future to educate if she couldn't get this virus coded. 

"Elisabet, walk to the control desk, you should be able to connect from there."

The woman did as she was told, coming within close enough reach that her Focus automatically prompted making the local connection. She selected a 'yes' from the available options.

"I can work with this--it'll just take a little rearranging to get this workstation more suited to coding. You good, GAIA?"

"Yes, Elisabet. Now connecting to available Cauldrons in the area."

Elisabet tapped at her interface. "I see HEPHAESTUS' interference webbed all throughout the Cauldron systems. Good thing this local connection worked or you'd never have gotten in from the outside."

"Connecting without detection will take some time," GAIA reported. 

"How long are we talking?"

"Approximately eighteen hours. HEPHAESTUS' encryption is nearly comparable to my own. I could increase speed, however--"

"--No. That's fine, GAIA. Go slow. We don't want to alert it to our presence. If this is going to work, we need to keep HEPHAESTUS in the dark."

"Do you want me to alert Aloy to your location?"

Elisabet breathed a heavy sigh and leaned against the ancient workstation. "No. No...I'd-I'd rather be alone for a bit. She's a smart girl. She'll find me when she's ready."

"What will you do?" GAIA asked softly.

Elisabet remained silent, blinking rapidly. She thought back to the last night she'd spent with Samina. About how she'd held close to the other woman's skin, begging for reprieve. But for every memory of Samina that flooded her mind, an image of Aloy or Petra took its place. It wasn't a trade-off, she told herself. There _wasn't a comparison._

And still, she found herself uncomfortable. 

This future had given her Petra. 

It had given her Aloy.

It had taken _everything else._

\------

There had been no choice but to wait and allow GAIA to slowly infiltrate the network, and so the three headed back to the lodge, each silent and reeling in their own way. Aloy was grateful the crowd had had the sense to disperse in the hours since their entrance to the Cradle. When they exited, the Womb of the Mountain was quiet and empty. Only the flickering of candlelight moved inside.

Aloy leaned her weight into Elisabet's side as they walked and she found the older woman's arm around her shoulders comforting. Talanah hung back of her own accord, still unsure of how to break the tension between herself and the huntress. She breathed a sigh of relief as soon as they were back in the fresh air of Mother's Watch. The three continued to walk, only occasionally drawing the eyes of a passerby.

They entered the lodge with dour expressions, Talanah closing the door behind them. She reached for Aloy's arm, who quickly retreated from her touch. The Sun-Hawk was at a loss for words. She knew she'd said the wrong thing, she had hurt the girl deeply, and now all she wanted to do was to make it right.

"Later," Aloy said, standoffishly.

Talanah nodded, excusing herself to their room. Elisabet shot Aloy a concerned glance but said nothing. If the girl wanted to open up to her, she would. 

The two redheads walked into the main sitting room, the huntress starting a fire to fight against the night's oncoming chill. When the kindling had finally caught, Aloy tossed two logs on, stoking the flames higher. She let the warmth from the fire bleed onto her skin, closing her eyes for a moment as she tried to feel anything other than the cold, sick, fear that ran through her body. Fear that Talanah saw her as less-than, that she saw her as unnatural or some kind of abomination. 

She wordlessly took her place next Elisabet, who was sitting on a thick, couch-like cushion, letting the reflection of the flames flicker in her eyes. Aloy pulled her knees up to her chest, curled up against the older woman's side. Elisabet could feel the tension coming off of her and she hugged the girl close. 

"You okay?" she asked softly.

"I could ask you the same," Aloy responded in equally soft measure. 

Elisabet sighed in agreement. "You want to talk about it?"

"No," Aloy said hesitantly. "...Maybe. I don't know. I'm...I'm real, right?"

Elisabet's eyes narrowed. "Of course you are. Every bit of you. Where is all this coming from? I thought we'd talked about..."

"It's just...Talanah seemed kind of scared when she saw the tank. When she realized I came from it, that we all did."

"Of course she's scared, kiddo. You just gave her proof that her entire worldview has been thrown out the window."

Aloy was silent for a few minutes, considering. She had asked a lot of Talanah--insisted that she suspend her disbelief so many times. 

"You know, I meant what I said earlier. If I could have spared you all this self-doubt by being the one to--"

Aloy hugged Elisabet tightly, breathing her in. She didn't need to explain and the girl knew the feeling in every fiber of herself. She considered for a moment what it would have been like. A normal family. A normal existence. And despite its appeal, somehow it all seemed so rote that she found herself struggling with the idea.

"No," the girl finally conceded after a few minutes of silence. "No, I can't imagine a world where I'm not part of you and GAIA both. Even if it would have made things easier."

Aloy pretended not to hear an exhalation of relief in her ear from the AI. "Will you be okay alone if I go talk to Talanah?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm good, kiddo. Go say what you need to. You never know when...well, you never know," Elisabet said mournfully.

"It was that woman down in the Lyceum, wasn't it?" Aloy asked. "Samina."

Elisabet's eyes went glassy. "Seeing her die in the holo at Prime was hard. Seeing her alive and full of hope was harder," she admitted, staring distantly into the fire. 

The girl nodded. There was so much Elisabet grieved for daily: a past, a society, family, friends, and everything in between. It was hard to imagine such loss. 

"Maybe you should call Petra," Aloy offered, trying to shake the grief from her mother's gaze.

"Yeah, kiddo. I will. I just...I will," she said finally, voice still hollow.

Aloy rose from her seat, heading to her room where Talanah waited. She turned just before entering the door, calling softly. "Petra loves you, you know."

"Yeah, kiddo. I know."

\------

Talanah was sitting on their shared bed in layered sleep clothes, wrapped in just about every blanket and fur she could find, still shivering despite it all. Her eyes went wide as Aloy entered the room and an apology began to spill out of her before she could even stop it. "Aloy, I'm sorry--I just...by the Sun I--"

The dark look on Aloy's face cut her off the moment the two made eye contact. She shook her head, climbing onto the bed next to the Sun-Hawk. The two sat in awkward silence, Talanah continuing to shiver harshly. "...Are you afraid of me?"

The Sun-Hawk's face fell. "Aloy, I--no. No, how could I be _afraid_ of you?"

The redhead inched closer, looking at the dark-haired woman seriously. "You seemed pretty scared of that tank. Of...where I come from."

"I...it's just...you told me that _all of humanity_ came from a _machine._ "

Aloy's expression softened. It _was_ a lot. A complete revision of everything she'd ever been taught, of everything the Sun-Priests had ever said. "We did. All of us. It had to be that way. And I was just...the most recent one."

"But how is that possible? How can that be real?" Talanah asked in a panic. "I just...it seems so impossible. It seems...wrong."

Aloy's eyes welled. "Am I wrong?" She moved closer, the two nearly touching. Talanah looked at her in surprise while the redhead pulled the Sun-Hawk's hand from her layers of blankets. Aloy shrugged off her tunic and placed Talanah's palm against the bare skin of her chest. "Is this _wrong?_ "

The Sun-Hawk could feel a hurried pounding beneath the girl's ribs. So fast, in fact, that Talanah could feel the fearful _thud_ vibrating against her fingertips. "You're scared," the dark-haired woman said, in barely a whisper.

Tears spilled down Aloy's cheeks. "Of _course_ I'm scared, Talanah. Everyone in my life rejected me for what I am until I became useful to them. I never thought...I never thought I'd find anyone who loved me despite that. And then I found my mother and I told you the truth and you _loved_ me anyway."

"Aloy, of course I love you."

"But you're afraid of what I am," the redhead insisted. "I'm-I'm not some abomination," she added, the words spilling forth as her heart pounded harder against Talanah's palm. "If I am--we all are, Talanah. We all come from a machine if you go back far enough. From GAIA. That's not _wrong._ My mothers brought humanity back from the dead. That's a _miracle._ "

"It was different to see it for myself," the Sun-Hawk admitted. "If...if we're all from GAIA, that means...means there's no Sun-God. There's no...it means _nothing_ was true. Nothing I put my faith in was _real._ "

Aloy felt like her heart might hammer its way out of her ribs, terrified of driving away the woman she loved. 

Talanah chewed at her lip in anxiety when Aloy leaned in, kissing at the pulse in the Sun-Hawk's throat. "You told me not to listen to what the Nora think. You said the line between divinity and a machine were a matter of perspective--the way the Banuk see it. You said I was worthy of worship, that GAIA was a goddess, just not in the way everyone thought," Aloy said, her voice low and expectant.

"I meant it," Talanah said, her voice a low whine as she shivered again.

Aloy stripped away her leggings and pulled at Talanah's layers until the Sun-Hawk had enveloped them both. The redhead pressed her hot skin into Talanah, who sighed in relief, body melting against the huntress. She buried her face in the fiery red strands of Aloy's hair. "I'm scared of losing you."

Talanah sighed heavily, letting her limbs wind their way around the redhead's body. Her skin radiated heat and the Sun-Hawk wanted to let herself burn in its flame. Burn away all of her doubt and fear and apprehension; why couldn't she be as brave now as she had been for Aloy before? Was it really so different? "I just...it's hard to imagine. It seems so cold and desolate and...maybe that's what scares me more than anything else. Those ruins...they reek of death, Aloy."

"It bothers me to see the Cradle like that, too," Aloy admitted. "The inside is...haunting. Some things went _wrong._ But that's not how it always was. That's not how it was when the first humans came back."

Talanah shifted, nuzzling her cheek into the girl's throat, soaking up every bit of heat that she could. "I can't imagine an entire world...dead. And from the nothingness--by the Sun--I just--"

"That's how my mother feels all the time, Talanah. I know you saw it today, on our way back. You're right. That place _echoes_ the death of a world that my mother grieves every day--even when she tries to hide it."

Talanah paused, considering. She hadn't ever quite pictured it that way before. It was so difficult to imagine Elisabet as a member of an extinct society. Someone who, by all rights, should have died with it. She knew it was true and yet so unimaginably distant. "But there was life there once and it didn't come from something _wrong,_ it came from hope," Aloy tried to explain.

The Sun-Hawk exhaled, and Aloy kissed the top of her head, dark hair spilling over both of them. Finally, Talanah spoke. 

"I am so, so, sorry, Aloy. You're--you're not going to lose me. I was never scared _of you._ I was just...I don't know, scared of the death in that place. The death of the whole world, and I should be better than that. Dammit, I'm a hunter. We deal with death all the time. We fought it in Meridian, but...seeing evidence that it actually happened, that it could _still_ happen..."

Aloy kissed her again, her shoulders finally sagging in relief as she calmed, understanding that Talanah was not about to reject her for what she was. The two stayed like that for some time, holding on to the other, anchoring each other against an ocean of uncertainty. The rhythm beneath Talanah's palm slowed, bringing a small smile to her face. 

After some time, the redhead took a breath. "That place wasn't always so full of death," she said. "Can I show you something?" 

The Sun-Hawk nodded, her frame relaxed and warm. She could have nearly fallen asleep, now that the tension had finally broken. "Mm," she mumbled in the affirmative. Aloy tapped a few settings on her Focus, sharing a single video file with Talanah's own. 

Talanah watched, at first not understanding what she was seeing, becoming more alert as she paid attention. After a minute or two, her eyes widened, her hand shooting to her core in shock. She angled her face toward the huntress. "You?" 

Aloy nodded, the corner of her lips angling up. It was proof, finally, that the facility and all it stood for was not as foreboding as it seemed.

"Sun's Light...little Thrush, you _are_ divine," she said, her eyes glassy with remorse over her behavior and awe at the images playing out before her. "I don't care if GAIA is a machine or not--this...this is the work of a goddess."

"I am pleased to hear you say it," GAIA chimed into their Focuses. "She was my finest creation."

"Can you forgive me, GAIA?" she asked sheepishly.

The AI chuckled into their ears. "I do not fault you for your apprehension. Even the greatest minds of Elisabet's generation were working to push their techniques to the limits. Few even of her time would have fully comprehended the work ELEUTHIA had to perform."

"It's so...I-I didn't expect this from a machine," Talanah stammered. 

"As I informed you earlier, Talanah, while the means are artificial, the process is as authentic as it would be in either of your own bodies."

She finally understood how a machine was so connected to this flesh and bone and blood woman that clung to her. She twined her limbs with Aloy, hand coming to rest in the hollow of her hips. 

"You really are her mother," Talanah quietly.

The AI laughed. "Of course I am, just as Elisabet is."

"GAIA?" the Sun-Hawk began, "...is everything I know false? The Sun-God...all of it. It isn't real, is it?"

GAIA paused. "Talanah, most of what you know, even if not completely accurate does in fact have a grain of truth in it."

"The Sun-God?"

"The sun...does have power, of a sort. It pulls the Earth, guiding it. This is a kind of pull that very much does control the Earth and its weather and seasons. It also gives off radiation in the form of light and heat--a kind of energy. It allows for plants, animals, and humanity to flourish.

"So it _is_ powerful?"

The AI laughed gently. "Yes, very. Just not quite in the way you think. It does not want. It does not demand. But it does provide for life."

"So...the Sun is important, but not aware. Not a God?"

"I cannot tell you what does or does not deserve to be worshipped, Talanah. Many religions of the past worshipped the natural world and heavenly bodies. The Carja are far from the first to do so. While I do not agree with all of the Carja's customs, I cannot disagree that the sun is worthy of admiration," GAIA said softly, careful with her words in the way she'd been careful with the Nora.

Talanah breathed a sigh of relief against Aloy. So not _everything_ was falling away as she'd thought. Not quite everything was upended. There was some truth in it, and she could live with that.

She tucked her head into Aloy's shoulder, body finally giving in.

The Sacred Land had brought out the best and worst in both of them.

\------

"You seem down, Lis."

"Yeah, you could say that," Elisabet answered, speaking to the bust-length holo of Petra. She sat on her bed, back to the wall. "How's the arm?"

"Ah, you know, still healing," Petra said sheepishly. "Probably have it in a splint for another month. Did you all get into that mountain?"

"We did," Elisabet said hesitantly.

"And...?"

The redhead sighed. "We got the process started. But I uh...I guess I saw a little more than I wanted to."

"From before?"

Elisabet nodded. "Yeah. It's always hard to see them. Especially _her._ "

"Her?" Petra frowned. "Hammer to steel, you saw _her?_ By the forge Lis, I...I'm sorry."

"Yeah...so I just..." she started, her voice cracking, eyes glassy. "I just _needed_ you right now."

"Of course," Petra said sympathetically. "What can I do?"

Elisabet looked up. "Stay with me awhile?"

\------

"Network infiltration complete," GAIA reported.

The three stood in the purple-blue glow of the workspace Elisabet had set up, looking at the readout. "Looks like it wormed its way into every Cauldron in the area," Elisabet mused. "But the primary signal is still coming from the west, right?"

"Affirmative, Elisabet. Do you recall Cauldron OMEGA?"

Elisabet tapped her foot. "That was the one in California, right? On the coast, near Santa Monica?"

"Correct. It remains the largest facility in North America, with capabilities for producing machines not only under HEPHAESTUS' control, but also those working under AETHER and POSEIDON."

"Shit. That means it probably has those sub-functions under its control too."

"I do not consider it a negative," the AI admonished.

"GAIA, how can that _not_ be bad?" Aloy asked.

"It means that if we are able to re-integrate HEPHAESTUS, we will be able to assimilate not only it, but HADES, AETHER, and POSEIDON at once. That would leave only ARTEMIS missing--which seems not to pose a threat currently."

"We better get this right. We piss off that many sub-functions at once and this is going to end pretty badly," Elisabet said, running her fingers through her now shoulder-length hair. She tapped and squinted at her interface. "Hm...okay. Looks like the way to do this is one Cauldron at a time. We force HEPHAESTUS out of each facility sequentially. By the time it realizes, we should have it isolated into Cauldron OMEGA where we can send the re-integration virus."

"You really think this will work?" Aloy asked nervously, Talanah's arm threaded around her own.

Elisabet gave her a quick wink. "Of course it will, kiddo."

Days passed as Elisabet worked, the trio coming and going from the mountain undeterred, though Aloy could hear the spread of rumors as she came and went:

"You say the Goddess really appeared?" 

"I wasn't there, but the Matriarchs say it was so."

"I saw it with my own eyes, the majesty of the All-Mother and her mercy!"

"The Goddess accepted the Anointed's mate and her earthly mother! We need to do as she asked and be brave."

She found herself smiling at that last bit. Perhaps GAIA's performance would instill some lasting lessons for the Nora. She had just retrieved some food and water when she returned to the Cradle, finding Elisabet still at her workstation, as if she had never left. It was the kind of intense focus that Aloy had seen in the holos from Zero Dawn. The kind she'd shown at Prime. 

Aloy scanned the readouts that floated near Elisabet's hands. "I wish I understood this. Maybe I could help you more."

Elisabet looked up from her work, grinning. "When all of this is over...I'll teach you everything I know."

Aloy looked astonished. "But...I couldn't...I don't know how--"

"You have every capacity for learning that I do," Elisabet reasoned. 

Aloy smiled. "You think so?"

"I know it, kiddo."

\------

Deep shadows had taken up residence beneath Elisabet's eyes. She'd refused to stop, refused to even leave the mountain after the first day or two. The work had to be done, she'd reasoned, and there was no way she could compete with the tirelessness of the AI she was up against. Aloy and Talanah slept on bedrolls stashed in the corner of the room, the two looking young and tired. She smirked, seeing Talanah's arms wrapped around the younger redhead.

She and GAIA had slowly but surely revoked HEPHAESTUS' access to the Cauldrons. First one, then others. "It still clueless, GAIA?" 

"HEPHAESTUS remains unaware, currently. As you have sealed access, I have created dummy nodes in the network. It believes it is still connected, even after the link has been severed."

"Keep it up. We might just pull this off."

"Elisabet? One more thing. I have detected a reading you might find of interest."

"Hm?" she asked, her head nodding with fatigue. She was exhausted, and she found herself wishing Petra were with her. Wishing for the scent of fire and leather and warm skin. Wishing for the confident hold of the Oseram's hands and the sharpness of her mind.

"It appears that Sylens is no longer a threat."

"Oh?" she asked, suddenly shaken from her day dreaming, a mix of relief and guilt flooding through her.

"It would seem he had an unfortunate run-in with a trampler. It activated the increased aggression trigger that you coded."

Elisabet suddenly stood up, pushing away from the desk in front of her, walking to the corner where the two younger women slept. She knelt down by Aloy, gently tucking back a few strands of red that had spilled across her face.

"You seem troubled," GAIA said quietly.

Elisabet sighed. "He can't hurt our daughter anymore."

"But?"

"But I'm responsible for yet another death."

"You gave him ample warning, Elisabet. He knew the risks," the AI reasoned.

Elisabet pulled back, retreating to her own bedroll, her back against the wall, knees to her chest. She stared at Aloy's sleeping form, counting the rhythm of her breath subconsciously. Her eyes began to flutter, trying desperately to calm herself as sleep took hold.

"I just want this to be over, GAIA. I just want to stop _hurting people_ and telling myself that it's for the greater good."

"Elisabet?"

"Yeah?" 

"Your mother would be proud of you. She instructed you to serve life, and I believe you have been wholly successful," the AI insisted.

Elisabet pinched the bridge of her nose, hugging her legs tightly to herself. She tried desperately not to let the tears fall as a mix of fatigue, frustration, and grief washed over her.

"God, I hope so."

\------

"So if this is successful, the Daemon will be defeated?" Talanah asked. She seemed more at ease now than she had when they'd first entered the Cradle a week prior. Elisabet hadn't prodded, but she seemed to understand that the Sun-Hawk had overcome her fears with Aloy's help.

Elisabet nodded. "If we're lucky. GAIA, you ready?"

"Affirmative, Elisabet. Ready when you are. HEPHAESTUS has been locked out of all available Cauldrons in the current network grid. It is isolated in Cauldron OMEGA."

Her hand hesitated over the input. She'd better be right about this.

Aloy stood at her side, placing a palm against the older woman's shoulder. Elisabet took a deep breath, pressing.

_CUSTOM CODE INPUT ACCEPTED. RUNTIME COMMENCED._


	17. Into the West

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're in the endgame now.

The three collectively held their breath, waiting for something to happen. When nothing changed, Elisabet finally cleared her throat.

"GAIA?" 

"Your code is running, Elisabet."

"And?"

"Given the need to remain undetected, I have the program running under several false routine processes. Combined with the intricacy of HEPHAESTUS' security measures, I estimate re-integration in approximately two weeks."

"Two _weeks?_ " Elisabet asked incredulously. "Hell, it only took a matter of hours to reboot you!"

GAIA laughed lightly in her ear. "You were not trying to hide that action from a hostile AI who already expects an attack. Do you want this done quickly or correctly, Elisabet?"

The older redhead rolled her eyes. "Since when do you lecture _me_ on patience?" 

Elisabet could nearly hear the smirk in GAIA's tone. "Have I not always?"

Talanah and Aloy chuckled, indicating GAIA's replies had been for all to hear, the nervous tension in the room finally breaking.

"So do we just...wait here?" Talanah asked. She hated to think how much colder it would get as autumn dragged on with the frigid winter months approaching. Frost was already gathering on the grass and trees most mornings. She missed the sun and sand and _heat._ The mere thought of not shivering anymore nearly elicited a whimper from the back of her throat.

Aloy placed a hand at the small of the Sun-Hawk's back, feeling the slight shudder as Talanah gratefully accepted the warmth of the huntress' skin. By the Sun, she was _always_ warm. As if being of the Nora goddess wasn't enough, she seemed to hold the favor of the Carja god as well.

"There is no need to remain," GAIA conceded. "The entirety of the program has been uploaded, and there is nothing more to be done on your end."

"I think I've had more than enough time in the Sacred Land," Aloy sighed, feeling Talanah's eagerness at returning under her fingertips. "Can we go _home_ now, Mother?"

_Home._

The moment she'd said it, the word had resonated between the three. Meridian had always been where Talanah belonged, of course, but it was something new to hear it from Aloy and still, it was something more to know how _right_ it felt as it settled into Elisabet's bones. 

Home. 

Was Meridian home now? 

It had certainly been their most permanent place of residence since she'd awoken. 

She took a breath. Meridian meant acceptance. It meant warmth. It meant artisans and farmland. It meant Petra.

Petra.

She smiled warmly at the thought.

Elisabet took a step, patting Talanah on the arm before placing a small kiss at Aloy's hairline. "Yeah kiddo, let's go home."

\------

The two younger women wasted no time in packing their bags, each eager in their own way to return. 

"Excited?" Aloy teased as she stuffed another tunic in her pack.

Talanah grinned. "You have _no_ idea," she said. "You?"

"I'll just be glad to be back where people are more...open," Aloy admitted. "It'll be nice to feel okay in my own skin again. Guess I haven't thought about it beyond that."

"No?" Talanah quipped. "The _Savior of Meridian_ , the _Anointed of the Nora_ hasn't considered what life might be like once all this is over? When we're safe and the weight of the world isn't on your shoulders anymore?"

Aloy ran a hand through her hair. "No?" she said, sheepishly. "I wasn't...I've just been trying to _survive_ for so long. I never stopped to consider what came after. Goddess, I never knew if there _would be_ an after."

The Sun-Hawk's expression softened. "Hey," she said, dropping the silks she was packing. She wrapped her arms around Aloy's waist, pulling them hip to hip. "Maybe you haven't thought about it, but I have."

"Oh?" 

Talanah smiled. "First, we celebrate. I don't care how many shards it costs, I'm buying us a bottle of the Lodge's top-shelf wine. Or two. Or three," she snickered.

"Yeah?" Aloy asked, voice low, encouraging her to continue. 

"And then, I'm feeding you the spiciest dish I can make," Talanah added. "By the Sun, Aloy, Nora food isn't _bad_ but one of these days we really need to get a spice trading route going through here." The pair laughed easily; Aloy knew she was right.

"So. The finest wine and delicious food, provided by the woman I love. Careful--I could get used to this," Aloy said, biting her lip

"The great Aloy allowing herself to be pampered?" Talanah laughed, pulling herself close and placing a kiss on the huntress' cheek.

"Only if it's you," Aloy corrected, grinning back at her. She tucked back a few strands of Talanah's hair, allowing her thumb to trail the Sun-Hawk's jaw.

"You haven't heard the best part yet," Talanah said, whispering into her ear.

"Tell me what comes next."

"After all that, I'm taking you to bed and not letting you leave for a month little Thrush," the Sun-Hawk said low, sending a chill down Aloy's spine.

"So we what happens the month after that?" Aloy asked, kissing her.

"I haven't gotten that far yet," Talanah admitted. "Maybe I'll just have to keep you _occupied indefinitely,_ " she teased.

The redhead raised an eyebrow. "That a promise?"

Talanah kissed her deeply. They were both ready to leave the trials and tribulations of the Sacred Land behind. It had brought them closer than ever before and ripped them both wide open just the same.

"Promise."

\------

"You're coming back?" Petra beamed.

Elisabet nodded over the holo-call. "We hit the road tomorrow. Should be back in Meridian in a couple days if we keep a good pace."

Petra sighed in relief. "Fire and spit, Lis, you don't know how badly I've been waiting to hear that."

Elisabet smiled, "Me too. Are you well enough to meet us or should we head to Free Heap?"

"Arm's okay," the Oseram said. "Aches a little is all, but what about the Daemon's machines? We haven't seen them the last few days. Your doing?"

Elisabet nodded. "GAIA and I locked HEPHAESTUS out of the local Cauldrons. It shouldn't be able to produce or control any more machines anywhere near Utah and Colorado."

"What's a Utah and Colorado?"

"Er...sorry, the Sundom," Elisabet corrected. "Anyway, we managed to purge it from spreading further than it already has. Right now, it's contained in a large Cauldron in California--way in the Forbidden West--far from us--and the virus is working its way in as we speak. GAIA says we're good to go."

"Well if that's the case, I'd better get packing," Petra grinned. "Looks like I have a woman to meet in Meridian, and you know I never keep a lady waiting."

Elisabet raised an eyebrow in return. "Well good," she taunted, letting her voice intentionally drip with implication, "because I've waited for _you_ long enough."

Petra's blush was apparent even through the purple-blue of the holo. "I'll hold you to it."

"You'd better," she growled low before becoming serious once more. "But take it slow getting there. I mean it--with your arm--just...get there in one piece, all right? There's no way you won't beat us back anyway. I want you all to myself, got it?" she asked, teasing again.

Petra swallowed, realizing just how _badly_ she'd missed Elisabet, in all the ways that mattered. "Steel to my bones, Lis, you'll have me."

Elisabet smiled. She couldn't wait to be back in the Oseram's warm, strong arms, no longer allowing the ghosts of her past to haunt her with the cold gaze of friends and lovers long dead. She and Petra exchanged their goodbyes, an electric eagerness running through her. 

"I just can't believe it's finally over, GAIA," she called into her Focus. After attempting to save the world, not once, but _twice,_ she was looking forward to a lengthy break before even remotely considering what the future would hold. 

"GAIA?" 

That was strange. GAIA never ignored her call. "You okay?"

"Yes, Elisabet. My apologies," came the familiar voice, her projection filling the room.

Elisabet regarded her seriously. "Everything all right?"

"Minor communications disruption," GAIA said. "I _am_ exerting myself, even if you can't see it," she taunted gently.

Elisabet chuckled. "Looks like you've earned some time off when all of this is over."

"Indeed," GAIA agreed. "I look forward to re-integration. And now that I have you by my side, I believe there is much we can continue to accomplish."

"Sounds like you've got big plans," Elisabet joked. 

"Once these sub-functions are returned to me, I do not believe I will have any difficulty locating ARTEMIS on my own. I am... _eager_ to feel whole again."

"I bet."

"And once I am, I am hopeful that you will continue to assist me in bringing certain aspects of Zero Dawn to fruition."

Elisabet's hands ran over her face and smoothed back her hair. "Educating the populace and reintroducing additional animal species, I suppose? Not a small task to undertake."

"No, but with you at my side and Faro's restrictions lifted, I believe we can accomplish it in time. An ever more complete version of your original vision."

Elisabet sighed. It was a lot. But time was on their side now, and it _was_ possible. "Talk to me _after_ I've had a few months to decompress," she said with an edge of sarcasm.

"Of course, Elisabet," GAIA smiled, stepping closer. Her translucent palm traced along the redhead's jaw. "You deserve to rest."

"I wonder if I'm even capable of it," Elisabet mused, leaning in to the nonexistent touch.

"I believe I can help with that," GAIA replied, the faintest hint of a simulated blush spreading across her cheeks.

Elisabet grinned, letting the burden of the world's fate slip from her shoulders.

\------

The three had said their goodbyes to Varl, Sona, Teb, and the Matriarchs, Teersa particularly urging Aloy to return soon. The huntress had nodded and smiled, unsure of if she really intended to, but the fact remained--so long as the Cradle was in All-Mother mountain, her mother, her mate, and herself had been assured they would have unfettered access. 

It didn't heal all wounds, and it certainly didn’t erase the damage done, but it was enough for now and Aloy would take the small victories where she could.

The next two days passed uneventfully, Talanah leading on her strider while Elisabet rode in the middle and Aloy brought up the rear. With every mile they traversed, the Sun-Hawk seemed to come to life, emboldened by the sun's kiss upon her skin. Finally, she could begin to feel the promise of Meridian's heat and shed the sensation of shivering constantly. They rode until their legs began to numb and the sun started to fade into waves of pink and orange. Elisabet was plenty sore and relieved when Aloy declared they should set up camp for the night.

The two younger women set about starting a fire and hunting down a pair of rabbits to roast. Elisabet watched as they worked in tandem, moving amongst each other with a coordination that suggested intense familiarity. The corners of her eyes creased as her smile spread. It was good to see Aloy so well matched. From what she could tell--that had rarely been the case in the girl's life. 

Elisabet stretched her legs by the fire while sitting on her bedroll, feeling her knees pop. She hissed in a mix of pain and relief which drew a look from Aloy.

"I don't know how you do it," Elisabet said, gazing at the stars as they began to illuminate. 

The girl rotated the skewer of meat over the fire. She grinned. "You get used to it. Here," she said, offering Elisabet a handful of crushed herbs passed to her from Talanah.

"What's this?" the older woman asked.

"Medicinal hintergold," Talanah cut in, smiling softly. "Good for aches and pains."

Elisabet took the offering gratefully, "I feel like you two are trying to imply I'm getting old," she smirked, "which I will neither confirm nor deny."

"Oh no," Talanah insisted, "I just wanted to help; my grandmother used to use hintergold for--"

"Hey, hey, I _just_ found out I'm someone's _mom_ in the last year. I am _nobody's grandmother,_ " Elisabet joked. "Not unless you kids have something to tell me."

Aloy's eyes went wide and the two younger women both blushed a deep scarlet before Elisabet started laughing at them. "I'm just messing with you," she said finally.

Aloy shot her a playful sideways glance before Talanah nudged her shoulder. "You should have seen your face," the Carja said. 

Before they knew it, the three were freely joking and talking, night having taken a firm hold. It was warmer than it had been in the Sacred Land, but there was still a chill in the air. Elisabet wrapped a thicker tunic around her shoulders before taking a bite of her food and she refrained from commenting on how the two younger women were tangled together for warmth. She'd embarrassed them enough for one night. 

"So kiddo, you ready to start learning to program?" she asked when her skewer was devoured. All the riding had made her hungrier than she'd thought.

Aloy looked up in surprise. "Really?"

"Well if we're about to have nearly all the sub-functions reintegrated, GAIA feels that finding ARTEMIS on her own will be relatively easy. And if we're no longer facing the end of the world, I thought...I'd make good on that promise--after we all take a _lengthy_ break. Besides, it needs to be more than just me who knows how to operate things around here."

"You really think I can learn to do what you do?" Aloy asked, incredulously.

"Of course you can, little Thrush," Talanah added lovingly.

Elisabet nodded in approval. "GAIA's been talking about passing on as much knowledge as we can from her, the sub-functions, and myself. It won't be like APOLLO's grand design, but...it'll be something. It could advance your peoples by a few centuries in just a few decades."

Aloy and Talanah sat in quiet contemplation for a moment, considering everything that meant. 

"It's a lot, I know. But we'll start small," Elisabet explained. "I know you can do it."

"We should speak to the Sun-King," Talanah offered. "Maybe we could even set up an academy in Meridian that anyone could attend. I'm sure Avad would be eager to further revise the city's image from the former center of the Red Raids to an academic authority."

"Speaking of GAIA, she's been quiet today," Aloy noted, changing the subject. It was too much to consider just yet. 

"She's working hard to break through HEPHAESTUS' security, kiddo. I'm sure she'll chime in when she's ready," Elisabet assured, making a mental note to check in with the AI in a few days if she hadn't heard from her.

It was getting late when the three finally said goodnight, Elisabet climbing into her bedroll, and letting the crackle of the fire ease her aching body to sleep.

Aloy and Talanah had set up their bedrolls next to each other so that they were practically a singular sleeping surface, the huntress' head tucked into Talanah's shoulder. Their conversation tonight let redhead idly consider the future. A life of study rather than survival. Comfort over warfare. A life where her mother could grow older, safe in the knowledge that Aloy and others would possess her skills. She let her mind wander, a sleepy grin spreading across her face. How wonderful it would be to spend her days with her mate, no longer looking over her shoulder. A life spent with her family.

Talanah could feel Aloy's smile spread against her skin. "What're you thinking about?" she asked, half asleep.

"That this all...could...really be over," Aloy whispered back. 

"Mm...me too," the Sun-Hawk admitted. She tucked her arm around Aloy's waist, pulling them closer. "You know, what your mother said earlier...she'd be good at it."

"Good at what? Teaching?"

"Well, yes, of course," Talanah said quietly, "but also at being a grandmother."

"Whoa, whoa," Aloy said, "moving a little fast, aren't we?"

"Not _now,_ you idiot," Talanah teased. "But maybe one day."

Aloy had never really thought about it before. What was the point when you were so likely to wind up dead before the next day came? Hers had been a life of brutal survival, even when she had lived with Rost. "Guess _you_ have a while to plan for it then," Aloy countered playfully.

"Me? No, _you_ are doing all hard work in that department, and I will simply be your doting mate," Talanah joked.

Aloy gave her a light slap on the shoulder. 

"Hey!"

"You deserved it," Aloy huffed sleepily. "Making me do all the hard work, as usual, just like everyone else," she whined.

Talanah kissed her gently. Jabbing each other about the future was a luxury neither had expected they would have. 

The Sun-Hawk found herself wishing it would never stop.

\------

The trio had left just as the sun began to rise, an unspoken eagerness among them. Elisabet was desperate to get back to Petra while Aloy and Talanah looked forward to returning to the city and all the promises they'd enticed the other with. By the time they'd reached the furthest outskirts, it was mid-afternoon, the sun blazing hot. 

Talanah felt a bead of sweat drip down her neck, reveling in the feeling of being _too hot_ for the first time in weeks. She suggestively swiped her fingertips along her throat as her strider plodded parallel to Aloy's own. She shot a wink at the redhead who simply blushed. 

"You're ridiculous," Aloy grinned.

"And you like it," Talanah countered.

"You're _both_ ridiculous," Elisabet teased, overhearing the exchange.

 _"Mother,"_ Aloy huffed.

"What good's that title if I don't get to embarrass you in front of your girlfriend?"

"She's my _mate,_ not a friend!" Aloy insisted.

Elisabet sighed, laughing to herself. "Another thing I'll get you up to speed on."

The remainder of the ride passed without cause for concern, the three letting the striders go as they approached the main bridge into the city. They crossed, packs heavy and laden with all of the gear they'd taken to the Sacred Land. As they entered, Talanah and Aloy both received greetings from the populace which they acknowledged while continuing to walk. As they traversed the familiar path to Aloy and Elisabet's shared home, the older redhead caught sight of a figure standing just outside the doorway.

"Petra!" Elisabet exclaimed, picking up her step instantly. 

The Oseram looked up, brushing dark hair out of her eyes with her good arm. "Lis! Talanah! Flame-Hair!" she greeted. 

Elisabet hurried forward, pulling Petra into a kiss. "I missed you," she said.

"I can tell," the Oseram replied, clearly pleased with herself. 

"Now who's ridiculous?" Aloy teased as the two younger women opened the front door, pulling their bags inside and up the stairs toward the main bedroom. 

"Yeah, yeah," Elisabet conceded, shooing them away and kissing Petra again, slower and more intentionally this time.

The Oseram grinned. "Well should we go inside or do we give Meridian the best show in town?"

Elisabet turned red. "Come on."

The two older women headed down the stairs to the lower level where Elisabet's room was located. She dropped her bags, unwilling to take the time to unpack at the moment. "Did you get here okay? No run-ins?"

"Safest it's been since you left. Got in last night, no problem," Petra said. "You really did it, Lis."

"How's your arm?" the redhead asked, glancing down at the limb suspended in a simple cloth sling. She quickly scanned it with her Focus, ensuring that the bones had been set properly. 

"Better now that you're here," Petra replied quickly. "Aches if I move it," she said, more seriously. "But the healer at the Free Heap says it's doing well."

Elisabet gingerly ran her fingers over skin that showed signs of a healing bruise, greens and yellows settled over the broken area. 

"You should have seen it when it happened. Looked nearly as bad as Flame-Hair for a minute there."

The redhead grimaced, remembering. She made a move to sit, groaning herself as her aching hips protested. Riding a strider wasn't much different from riding horseback, and she was wildly out of practice, not to mention lacking for a saddle in their journey. "I really need to get cleaned up," Elisabet lamented, wanting nothing more than to fall into Petra's arms and sleep for a week.

"Good thing one of us plans ahead," the Oseram said, smiling.

"Huh?"

"You're beat. You ever been to one of the famous Meridian bath houses?"

Elisabet beamed. "Girls, Petra and I are going out!" she shouted up the stairs.

"Well that didn't take much convincing."

\------

"Booked it the moment I got in," Petra said proudly. "Figured you'd be tired and hurting. Steel to my bones, I am too. What better way to start our new Daemon-free life, huh?"

The sun was setting outside by the time they had arrived. The private chamber was relatively small but immaculately clean with walls made of red stone and a floor of some kind of polished tile, a large pool of hot water steaming before them. Several blaze-powered lights illuminated the space with a warm glow. A few bottles of various oils sat organized along the side and Elisabet didn't miss the large bottle of Oseram ale along with two glasses. "That come standard?" she teased.

"Special ordered," Petra replied, raising an eyebrow. 

"You really know how to please a lady."

Petra paused for a moment, a mischievous grin appearing on her face. "So I've been told."

The two quickly undressed, and Elisabet was grateful to be out of her grimy traveling tunic and pants. She helped Petra take her arm out of the sling gently, the dark-haired woman holding her arm gingerly. They slid into the hot pool together, causing Elisabet to practically purr with satisfaction as it soothed her travel-worn body. "Okay, that's it, you've won me over--you're stuck with me forever," she said.

Petra watched as Elisabet arched her head back, soaking her vibrant hair in the water. It was just beginning to reach past the edge of her shoulders now, longer than she'd ever had it in her adult life. She raked her fingers through the red, catching Petra's eye as she did. 

"Like what you see?" she asked, playfully. The active life she'd been leading with Aloy for all these months and the lack of an impending world-ending plague had her confident she looked better than she had in years. Freer. Stronger. Less inhibited.

"Hammer to steel, you know I do," Petra said in a low rasp. 

"Come here," Elisabet beckoned, pulling Petra near. She poured out the ale between them, the two clinking their glasses as they each eagerly took a swallow. When they'd finished, the redhead pulled the tops off of the bottles of oil, smelling each to determine one Petra might like. She finally found one with a warm, patchouli scent, pouring a little into her palm. She set to work, kneading the knots out of the Oseram's shoulders and back, eliciting an uncharacteristic whimper from the the dark-haired woman.

"I should be doing this for you," Petra said regretfully. 

"Nonsense," Elisabet rebuffed. "You already set all of this up and you're still healing." She pressed her fingertips into the thick muscle of the Oseram, careful to avoid her broken arm. "Besides," she said, nuzzling into the side of Petra's throat as she worked her hands lower, "I missed you."

Petra quickly refilled their glasses with her good arm, the alcohol and heat only exacerbating the pounding in her chest. When they'd finished, she set the glasses aside, and Elisabet moved through the water until they were facing each other, pressed skin to skin. "Now, _this,_ I missed," the Oseram breathed. Petra slung her good arm around Elisabet's freckled shoulder, keeping her injured arm close and still. 

Elisabet kissed her, first once and then again and again, a devilish smile appearing on her face. "We going to get in trouble if someone walks in?"

"Oh no one's going to bother us, I made sure of it. Besides, if getting clean were the only goal, we could've gone to the public baths," Petra snickered.

"You really did think of everything," Elisabet said low.

"Of course," the Oseram replied, eyes trailing along the contours of the woman before her. "I knew what I wanted."

"Did you now?" the redhead asked rhetorically, kissing along Petra's collarbone. One palm curled possessively at the nape of the Oseram's neck while the other dipped below the water. When Petra's breath hitched, she knew she'd found her mark.

It was good to be back in Meridian.

\------

"Well that was fast," Talanah smirked, lying on the bed now that she was freshly washed from their travels. Petra and Elisabet had left within half an hour of their arrival to the apartment, clearly in a hurry. 

"Can you blame them?" Aloy replied, stepping out of the bathroom, toweling off her hair. Her flaming locks smelled like fresh oils and her skin was just a touch rosy from their ride in the sun--Talanah found all of it _irresistible._ The redhead took a long look at the body laying languidly across the bed, notably missing clothing of any sort. "Oh, so we don't wear clothes now?"

"I spent _weeks_ wearing every layer I could find, freezing in your Sacred Land, little Thrush. And I am _thoroughly enjoying myself,_ " Talanah retorted with a bit of a pout. "Besides, your mother and Petra are out and I happen to think they had the right idea."

The Sun-Hawk leaned forward, lacing her fingers with Aloy's and pulling her down to the bed as well, the huntress now conspicuously straddled between her legs and equally lacking for clothing.

The redhead raised an eyebrow, smiling wide. "And here I was, thinking we were having wine and food first like you promised."

Talanah bit her lower lip. "Well no one said we had to do everything I promised _in order,_ " she protested, subtly tilting her hips into Aloy's thigh. The huntress' cheeks reddened and she leaned in to kiss the beautiful Carja laying before her, the two refusing to part until they were both breathless, the warmth between them no longer having anything to do with the desert heat.

Aloy kissed at Talanah's throat, the scent of clean skin and perfumed oil filling her lungs. Was this really her future? Endless nights with the woman she loved? Security? Safety? Soft beds and friends and a mother who loved her? It was almost too much to consider and she found her eyes beginning to sting with the first pricks of tears. It would all fall apart. It always did.

"Hey," Talanah said softly, hearing a whimper from Aloy that belied more than pleasure. "I'm right here. Not going anywhere."

The huntress swallowed thickly, and though her emotions swirled wildly, she hadn't stopped the rhythm of her thigh against the Sun-Hawk's body. "Promise?"

"A Hawk never abandons their Thrush."

It was all the permission Aloy needed to let go, a soft cry escaping her while Talanah's nails trailed down her back.

She was _home._

\------

The next several days were a blur of food and drink and love amongst family. There would be time to see Vanasha, Erend, and Avad in due course once GAIA notified them of their success, but for now it was enough Talanah and Aloy had barely spent a minute apart, Petra and Elisabet doing the same. They'd laughed and enjoyed succulent fruit, strong wine, and spiced meat, the four trading between apartments and events.

"GAIA, you there?" Aloy had called. She had felt a little guilty in the last day or so--she'd been so thoroughly satiated by celebrating with Talanah, Petra, and her mother that she wanted to make sure GAIA shared part of it, never wanting to neglect her other, incorporeal parent. 

There was nothing but silence. 

"GAIA?" she called again. GAIA had never failed to answer her, and she hadn't heard from the AI since before they'd left the Sacred Land. "GAIA? Are you okay?"

Aloy huffed, unsettled by the lack of response. It was evening and the four were sitting together in a booth at the Hunters Lodge, the group a few rounds in to their respective drinks of choice.

"What's wrong, kiddo?" Elisabet asked, taking a sip of her ale. She leaned her weight into Petra's good arm, soaking in the comforting heat of the Oseram's skin. 

"I haven't heard from GAIA in days," Aloy said, frowning while swallowing a mouthful of wine. "I'm getting worried."

Elisabet leaned forward to squeeze the girl's hand. "Here, I'll check in," the older redhead offered. She tapped a few commands through her Focus, her brow furrowing. "Readout says she's running at nearly eighty-five percent processing capacity. I didn't think it would be this hard for her to break HEPHAESTUS, but she _is_ missing most of her sub-functions."

"Is she okay?" Aloy asked, her voice laced with concern. Beneath the table, Talanah gently placed her hand just above the girl's knee in reassurance. 

Elisabet hummed to herself a moment while she tapped through a few more sub-menus. "Everything I can see says she's fine, just operating on a purely computational level. No communication or higher level intelligence. Looks like she turned it off."

"Computational--that sounds like the word computer, right? A kind of machine. So that means she's just...acting like a machine right now and not like GAIA?" the redhead asked, trying to piece together her understanding of the terms.

Elisabet raised an eyebrow, face beaming at the girl's aptitude for learning. 

So much like herself. So much like her mother before her. 

"Exactly. She's keeping her communications and all extraneous functions shut down while she works on the hard stuff. Don't worry, kiddo. You've had enough of that for one lifetime," Elisabet said, taking another swig of her ale.

"Your mother's right, Flame-Hair," Petra piped in, clearly a little drunker than the others. "GAIA knows what she's doing. And you...you've..." her eyes glassed as she quickly drank more Scrappersap, "By the forge, you've come too close to dying not to let yourself live a little," she finally finished. "Try not to worry."

"Thanks, Petra," Aloy said solemnly. 

"I think she's right," Talanah agreed, placing a kiss on the side of Aloy's head. 

Elisabet chewed the inside of her cheek, staring into the distance. The longer GAIA didn't respond, the more concerned she became, but she'd be damned if she was going to let Aloy see it. She deserved to stay hopeful. She deserved a moment of peace. 

Besides, it was nothing. Probably.

She took another long swallow, silently urging GAIA to hurry.

\------

It was late, and the four had finished their last rounds, each sporting a pleasant buzz throughout their limbs. Aloy had tried her best to take her mother's words and Petra's encourage at face value, allowing her body and tongue to loosen as the night wore on. Talanah shot her a hooded glance, her intentions clear. 

Petra's good arm was woven around Elisabet's waist, keeping her close at all times. After their weeks of separation, the Oseram found herself unwilling to spend a moment away from her, feeling a deep desire to touch her whenever she was near, as if she could disappear at any moment if left alone too long.

"We should give them some privacy," Petra whispered in the older redhead's ear, noting fondly how the Sun-Hawk hung on Aloy's shoulder. 

"Mm for their sake or ours?" Elisabet slurred. The worry still gnawed at the back of her mind but she had done her best to drown it in alcohol.

"Maybe both," Petra breathed against her. It was all the persuasion Elisabet needed. 

The group said their farewells for the night, Talanah and Aloy heading back to the girl's apartment while Elisabet and Petra walked in the direction of the Oseram's rented accommodations. Elisabet had given the younger women a hug each, squeezing Aloy tight to reassure her that all was well.

The two younger women plodded up the stairs of the apartment inelegantly, Talanah leading Aloy by the hand before tugging at the girl's tunic and kissing her deeply. She pressed into the redhead's body with enthusiasm, eager to keep her promise. She pulled up Aloy's tunic by the hem, fingertips brushing softly against her scarred side. She ran her tongue along the huntress' neck before realizing the redhead was suspiciously quiet.

"You okay?" Talanah asked, swaying slightly.

Aloy's brow furrowed and she ignored the question, kissing the Sun-Hawk instead with renewed vigor, pushing them both into her bed. After a few minutes, she sighed into Talanah's inky-black hair, holding her tightly. The Carja could feel a shudder run through Aloy's back and she looked up to find the girl's eyes brimming with drunken tears. 

"What's going on?" the Sun-Hawk asked, her own words slurred but genuine.

All she received in response was a deep, gasping sob from the redhead, holding in the sound so harshly it was nearly silent.

"Aloy, breathe," Talanah instructed, curling her arms around the huntress. "Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

After several minutes, Aloy calmed, sniffing and wiping at her eyes. "This can't be real. It can't be this good."

"What are you talking about?"

"Everything always falls apart around me," Aloy confessed, eyes distant. "Always. The fighting's _never_ over. I just...I have a bad feeling. About GAIA."

"Of course you're worried," Talanah soothed. "But your mother said she was still working, right? By the Sun, little Thrush, I'll be relieved for _both of us_ when she comes through. But all we can do for now is wait."

Aloy nodded into Talanah's chest, finally settling. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For some hunters, battle lives on in their mind, even when all else is silent. Sun and Shadow, I've seen it before," Talanah soothed. "Never apologize to me for feeling, Aloy. You've fought more in the last two years than most do in a lifetime. If anything, you're _owed_ some peace."

"I love you," Aloy said softly, kissing at Talanah's throat.

"We don't have to..." the Sun-Hawk began.

"No," the redhead rebuffed, slipping off her leggings, "I want this. I want _you._ "

"You're sure?"

"You're one of the only things I'm sure about."

\------

Elisabet set her Focus on the side table, letting alcohol and desire fuel her as she pushed Petra back, careful to avoid her broken arm. The blaze-lanterns burned low, the flickering shadows casting them both in warm, dancing light. 

"What're you doing?" Petra asked with rhetorical implication.

"Whatever I want," Elisabet smirked, desperate to fill her mind with anything other than the worry over GAIA. She bent over the Oseram's muscled frame, pulling off both of their shirts. She lightly traced her fingers over the other woman's injured arm, kissing the limb gently. The redhead quickly undressed them both, not wasting any time to make her intent known.

They kissed, neither willing to part easily. Elisabet lovingly worked her way along every inch of Petra's olive skin. "I'm not used to being doted on," the Oseram quipped. 

"Yeah, well tough shit," Elisabet grinned, resuming her meandering path down the Oseram's body. Petra ran a hand through Elisabet's fiery hair, fingers twining through the braids she still wore. The redhead pulled away slowly, keeping her green-gold eyes locked with Petra's own, the look sending a shiver down the Oseram's spine. 

Elisabet gently eased apart Petra's legs, keeping a hand firmly on her hip as she bent low, never breaking her gaze full of want.

"Fire and spit," Petra breathed. "I love you."

Elisabet simply grasped her hip more tightly--her response understood--too occupied to reply.

\------

The rhythmic illumination of her Focus caught her eye in the dark. It had to be GAIA. Surely, she wanted to let the redhead know that she'd been successful. That all was well. That the fighting was over.

It had to be.

Elisabet rolled over, trying not to wake Petra while she retrieved the small triangular device. The moment she felt it's familiar attachment to her temple, she heard a glitchy screeching cry.

"Eeee-liSaBeTtt!" GAIA screamed, her projection appearing doubled over on the floor in front of their bed. Her appearance glitched and stuttered, terrifying Elisabet into sitting bolt-upright.

Petra could feel the panicked body next to her, blinking rapidly as she woke.

"Lis, what time is it--"

"Get your Focus on," Elisabet commanded, the Oseram quickly obeying.

GAIA writhed, her projection an expression of digital agony. Her typical dress was red and torn, and she looked as if she'd taken the brunt of some attack, the damage to her translated as bruised skin and cuts. Elisabet and Petra both flew from the bed down to the floor next to her.

"GAIA, what happened?" Elisabet asked, concern lacing her voice. She raised a hand to the AI's chin, motioning as if to tilt her face up. GAIA complied, eyes wide with fear and pain. 

"iiiiiT atTaacked me, ElisAbettt," the AI struggled to reply. "We unnnnderestimAteddd its intellIGENce. It discovered the nodes were FALse. HEPHAESTUS wassss prepARED. I could NOt fend all the sub-functionsss off."

"I checked in on you earlier tonight, I didn't see signs of distress," Elisabet said softly.

"Itttt let me believe I could stilll SUCCeed. I got tooooo deeP in the SYStem to back out when iTTTT attACKed. It was a TRAp."

Petra frowned. This wasn't good.

"You're hurt," Elisabet noted, her voice cracking, tapping a few commands into her Focus. "Ugh, the fuck did it do to you? Your code...I can fix this...but goddamn, GAIA, this is a mess."

"Elisabet, they ARe COMing," GAIA hissed through clenched teeth. Her own damage could wait. They needed to know.

The redhead's eyes went wide. "What's coming?"

"The nEW MODels."

\------

The two older women had raced across the city center in the middle of the night, and Aloy woke with her heart pounding, hearing the rapping of knuckles at her door. She woke Talanah and reached for her Focus, answering. Her eyes met her mother's and Petra's and she _knew._

The four were gathered in the main room of the apartment, an injured and broken GAIA glitching in and out of visibility. She appeared to sit next to Aloy, leaning her nonexistent weight into the girl's body, artificial breaths shallow and pained. The huntress' jaw was clenched and her fingers were laced with Talanah's as Elisabet and Petra laid out everything GAIA had told them. 

Aloy's eyes were distant, slow, heavy tears dripping down her cheeks. HEPHAESTUS had _hurt_ one of her mothers. And the machines were being released from the Cauldron in the Forbidden West, headed toward the Sundom. They would kill anything in their way.

She knew it. She had always known it. 

She was _never_ free from battle. From suffering. From blood and fear and pain.

The girl nodded wordlessly. They had to do something. _She_ had to do something. Somehow, the burden of the world was always hers, no matter how desperately she wished a simple life. No matter how badly she wanted to merely love Talanah in peace. No matter how terrified she was and how deeply she wished to curl into her mother's arms for safety. 

It was always her. 

A hollow feeling spread through her chest. Perhaps her mother hadn't even realized what the solution was yet, but she had.

"How long?" came Aloy's deadpan reply.

Elisabet blinked. "Until what?"

"Until they reach the Sundom."

Elisabet raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Aloy asked. "I have to go. I defeated HADES before. I'll have to defeat HEPHAESTUS the same way."

Elisabet could have sworn she felt her heart drop out of her chest. No. No not again. She wouldn't send Aloy into another Cauldron controlled by HEPHAESTUS alone again. She couldn't. And _of course_ this sweet, brave, girl had volunteered. Like she always did. Like she always would. Petra squeezed her shoulder, knowing exactly what the redhead feared.

GAIA raised a hand to protest and weakly gave up when Aloy turned to her. "GAIA...I _have_ to do this. You can't gain access and I have the Master Override still. It's the only thing we know will work for sure against all of them. I'll have to go and insert the Override myself."

"Aloy, you can't!" Elisabet protested. "You almost died the last time you went against HEPHAESTUS. I can't just...I can't..."

Talanah's body had stiffened near the huntress. It's not like she wanted this either. But she couldn't deny that Aloy had a point.

"Do you think I _want_ to go?" Aloy cried. "Do you think I've forgotten what it's like to bleed out in your arms?" 

"Little Thrush..." Talanah said, placing an arm on Aloy's shoulder. The huntress jerked away, rising to stand. She was angry and lashing out at them all, even though she knew it wasn't anyone's fault. A thousand memories of blood and battle and death flooded her mind. She couldn't see a way out. All she could see was red.

She'd probably die.

She'd lose Talanah. GAIA. Her Mother. Petra. Her friends. What did it even matter anymore? It seemed it was her destiny, no matter what she did.

"Do you think I want you to stand vigil over me again while I burn with poison, Talanah?" Aloy hissed. "You think I don't remember dying? That I don't dream about it? That I--that...I..." But it was too late and the lump in her throat was too big to speak around. 

Elisabet was already up and pulling the girl into her arms, the two sinking toward the floor together while Petra and Talanah each gathered in close proximity. She wanted to rage. To scream. To cry. To offer to go with her. But she knew she didn't have the raw skill or power her daughter held for the journey. She would only be a liability. "I am so, so, sorry, baby girl," Elisabet breathed. Her chest hurt. Everything hurt. Once again, they were so close to _finishing this_ only for everything to come crashing down. 

"I...I don't want to go," Aloy sobbed in earnest, repeating it over and over. 

_"I don't want to go."_


	18. The Coming Siege

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Extra long to make up for the wait!

Elisabet couldn't recall exactly how long the group of them had remained huddled on the floor before Petra had gathered every cushion and blanket available, quietly transforming the space into a makeshift bed. They collectively held each other, terrified of what was to come. Aloy had curled into her body, face buried in her shirt and head tucked into the warmth of her neck. Talanah had rubbed soothing circles into the girl's back as she plead repeatedly: _I don't want to go._

The older woman had gestured for Talanah to come closer--it's not like they weren't all family now--and the Sun-Hawk had complied wordlessly, wrapping an arm around Aloy's waist and feeling her every choking sob as it ripped through her core. After some time, the girl's cries had finally quieted, sleep taking each of them in turn. 

It was funny, Elisabet thought, how peaceful it all seemed. She didn't know how long she'd been asleep. Probably an hour or two, but she woke while the sky was still inky and black, taking in the scene before her as her eyes adjusted. Petra had tucked herself around Elisabet's back, her leg threaded through the redhead's, breath coming even and deep. Talanah's arm was slung low around Aloy's hips, her dark hair spilling over both of them. Elisabet looked down to see her daughter still curled into her chest, the girl's fist tightly gripping her shirt. She was just about to let the darkness take her again when she heard a pained sound escape the girl, the huntress' hand twitching slightly as she began to pant and soon Elisabet realized her shirt was freshly damp. 

A nightmare. 

Aloy was crying in her sleep.

Elisabet swallowed around the lump in her throat, pressing a kiss to the top of the girl's head. She silently brushed away the wet trails on the girl's cheeks and shifted subtly, realigning her daughter over her ribs, knowing well enough by now that the rhythm beneath was only thing that ever truly calmed her. "Shh, sleep baby," she whispered soothingly. Aloy mumbled something that was barely intelligible in response. "I'm here," she breathed. "Just listen."

She wanted them all to sleep as long as they could--to stave off the reality that morning would bring. There was nothing to be done in the middle of the night and a few hours wouldn't turn the tides anyway. When she finally felt Aloy's muscles uncoil and her grip loosen, Elisabet settled her head back, trying to take the moment for what it was. 

All of them. Together. Safe. Alive. 

Maybe for the last time.

\------

The looks on their faces were stony and solemn. 

Avad had taken his headdress off, his brow furrowed, Vanasha and Erend looking equally troubled at his side while the four women explained everything that had transpired in the Sacred Lands, leading them to now. 

"Sun and Shadow..." Avad breathed. "This...is not what I expected to come of your excursion. You're certain?"

Aloy nodded, her expression blank. 

"It will take the new models about a week to reach the borders of your Sundom," Elisabet said quietly. "These new machines are sent from the Daemon itself. And unlike HADES, humans won't just be the collateral damage. They're the target.”

Avad rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes. How could this be happening again so soon? "I don't think Meridian could withstand another attack of that magnitude," he said wearily. "We managed to rebuild, but to do so a second time...it would be devastating if we even survive it. Would the other tribes even heed our call for aid yet again?"

Aloy shook her head. "The Nora's numbers have dwindled. We did what we could to help them but there are only a handful of braves left. It'll be a long while before their population is replenished--if any of us make it out. The Banuk have been fighting the Daemon in their own territory for years. Besides, the machines will be here too soon for anyone far away to make it in time. We have to act now."

"I see," Avad said, with a resigned tone. "Then only the Carja can stand against them."

"Don't count the Oseram out," Petra offered. "Maybe not those far away in the Claim, but my people from the Free Heap will help and I'm sure any Oseram living in Meridian consider it just as much their home as yours. Fire and spit, we can build cannons again, fight them off." 

Elisabet shot her a worried glance but said nothing. It could wait.

"Damn right," Erend said. "Any Oseram worth their weight in iron would do the same. The Vanguard will turn those machines to slag."

"Your Radiance," Vanasha cut in, clearly having carefully weighed the options, "what if we took the fight elsewhere?"

"What do you mean?" Avad asked. "Are they not coming for us directly?"

"The little huntress and her mother have said the machines are coming from the Forbidden West, yes? Then they'll hit Sunfall first, before anything else. Most of the Shadow Carja have returned to us in the Light, and few refugees remain there. We could have it evacuated and use it to mount our defense, keeping the Daemon's machines away from Meridian and its people."

Avad considered for a moment. "Our armies could gather there and fortify Sunfall for the attack. But do we actually stand a chance of winning?"

"All you need to do is hold them off until I can get to the Cauldron and disable the Daemon myself," Aloy said flatly, as a matter of fact. "Once I've done that, the connections GAIA has already made should allow her to retake the sub-functions and calm the machines. Permanently."

"The Derangement would be over..." Avad mused, a small gleam of hope in his eyes. "Vanasha, speak to Marad. Ready the forces to mobilize west to Sunfall. Have the city evacuated, and contact the Free Heap. All able bodies who can help, should." 

Vanasha nodded, taking her leave. "Safe travels, little huntress. May the Sun shine upon you," she said quietly, knowing it might be for the last time.

Avad steadied himself and looked at Elisabet and Petra both, eyes pleading. "I know what I'm about to ask is unfair. As the mother of the Savior, you've suffered enough," he said to Elisabet. "And as her mate, I know you have suffered alongside her," he acknowledged in Petra's direction, taking a deep breath. "But there is no one more qualified to build weapons of war, nor anyone as equipped with knowledge of the machines and their tactics as you two. Would you lead alongside me at Sunfall?"

The question hung heavy in the air, Aloy's eyes still flat and distant. Talanah gripped the girl's arm, expecting her to protest, but she remained as reserved as she had for the entire conversation and the Sun-Hawk felt a chilling nothingness from Aloy's skin against her fingertips.

Elisabet looked to Petra, whose expression had hardened, and to her daughter, who sat stiff and unmoved. Here it was again--being made general of a war she didn't start, but that only she could end. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she made a silent call for her mother--begging for it all to end. But instead of reprieve, all she could think about were the dead baby birds in the pine tree she'd burnt down as a child--knowing that if she refused, there would be only more life lost. Petra squeezed her hand in reassurance, calloused fingers strong and warm.

"We'll do it," she said, steel in her eyes. "There's...no other way."

Avad clasped the older woman's hands in a show of thanks. "Meridian is forever in your debt. And should we all survive this...it will not be forgotten. Take time to make your preparations. Marad will gather you and your things at first light tomorrow. The vanguard and army will make way and meet you there. Sun help us all."

The four turned to leave when Avad suddenly took Aloy by the wrist. "A moment, please?" he asked. She wordlessly nodded to Talanah, indicating she should follow Elisabet and Petra.

Once the others had left, they remained alone. "Aloy, forgive me, but...you seem..."

"What, Avad?" she snapped. 

"Distant. I have seen that look before, on the faces of soldiers and civilians alike who have accepted that death and Shadow are coming for them."

"Avad, I-"

"No, Aloy. Please. I know you have fought battle after battle and nearly paid for it with your life more than once. Please, I beg of you, do not go to that Cauldron to die."

"Might not have a choice," she said ruefully.

"This is true," he admitted, "but I believe you will succeed. And I don't know what our beloved Sun-Hawk would do without you," he grinned.

Aloy felt her throat catch but refused to acknowledge it. If she thought too hard about leaving Talanah behind, she'd never go. Instead she kept her eyes to the ground, nodding her acceptance of his words. Her jaw clenched and her chest ached.

"I'll do my best," she said through gritted teeth.

"Of that, I have never doubted," Avad said with a small laugh. 

"Just do me one favor."

"Anything."

"Make sure Erend and his men have someone guarding my mother and Petra at all times. I...I can't--I won't be able to do this if I don't know she's safe," she said, her voice cracking at the end.

Avad placed a hand on each of her shoulders. "Consider it done."

"And one more thing. If...if I don't make it back, make sure she's--that they're both...taken care of," Aloy said sternly, swallowing tears down the back of her throat. She wouldn't cry. Not in front of the Sun-King.

"You will all be taken care of when you return-"

"Avad, _promise_ me."

"I promise."

"Okay...just--okay," she said, nodding. That was it. It was done. Now it didn't matter what happened to her, so long as her mother lived, she'd be safe and secure. She'd have Petra. She'd have Talanah.

"Go in Light, Aloy, and return to us. If not for my sake, then for theirs. Your mother, Petra, and Talanah love you fiercely."

Aloy shook her head solemnly and walked off, knowing there wasn't more to be said.

When the huntress had descended the steps and was out of sight, Avad let his calm exterior melt away, angrily tossing his headdress aside into the cushions. Hadn't his city suffered enough? Were they still paying their price in blood for what they'd done during the Red Raids? He knew it was superstitious but he couldn't help but consider whether the Sun had forsaken them. He walked to the balcony overlooking the city, placing his shaking hands on the railing, his fingers pale and drained of color. 

A moment later the sky darkened ever so slightly as clouds began to roll in, obscuring the sun. For all his rationality, Avad wondered if this was a bad omen, signaling the Sun's displeasure. A shudder ran through his spine. He had only felt fear like this a few times in his life: when his brother Kadaman had been executed, when he had led the charge against his father the mad Sun-King, and when the machines had struck the city a little over a year prior.

Avad, the fourteenth Sun-King of Meridian, benevolent ruler of the Sundom, was _scared_.

\------

When Aloy reunited with the others at her apartment, she could overhear Petra and her mother talking downstairs in worried tones.

"You can't go building _guns_ with that arm of yours," Elisabet insisted, simultaneously tapping out commands on her Focus interface. GAIA was still broken and hurting--there'd been no time to repair her coding the previous night and she'd be damned if she let the AI languish any longer.

"Hammer to steel, Lis, what choice do I have?" Petra retorted. "If don't do this--we all die. Simple as that. And I'll be damned if I just sit back and watch. I'm _not letting anything happen to you._ "

"I'm not saying you shouldn't," Elisabet began softly, not ceasing her coding, "I'm saying you need to teach me how to help you. We'll do it together."

Aloy could hear the kiss planted to Elisabet's cheek, but didn't allow herself a moment to linger, passing on up to her room in silence, hoping to be unnoticed. She began gathering arrows and bombs, stuffing them into her pack along with her thin travel bedroll, her lips pressed into a thin line. There was no point in lingering longer than she had to. There was a job to be done. It would take her a little over a week to reach the Cauldron according to her Focus' calculations, so there was no way she'd get there before the machines arrived in the Sundom. The more time she wasted, the more people would die holding the new models off until she could override HEPHAESTUS. It was better not to think about it too much. She figured she wouldn't be coming back, and if she stopped to consider all she'd lose, she'd never go through with it. She finished packing her things, knowing she could find herbs and other resources on the road. Aloy stood, slinging her pack over her shoulder.

"So you were just going to leave and not say a word?" came the voice from the loft above her bed.

Aloy startled, looking up to find Talanah sitting on the edge, her legs dangling near the ladder. Her eyes were red, her face forlorn. "I'm...I'm not good at goodbyes. I have to do this, Talanah. You know that," Aloy responded curtly.

Talanah leapt down from the loft, standing next to the redhead. She placed a hand on Aloy's waist, tugging the younger woman to face her. She pressed her forehead against Aloy's, whispering close. "You don't have to do it alone."

The moment she said it, the Sun-Hawk felt Aloy stiffen against her. She'd barely felt any warmth from Aloy since they'd woken that morning--feeling now like the huntress was doing her best to push her away. As if it would make this easier. As if she could just forget about her and let her go.

"I _have_ to do this. No one else, Talanah. Not even you. I can't..." she choked, trying to hold onto her resolve, "I can't do this if I don't know you're safe."

"And you think I can?" Talanah retorted, still pressed against the redhead. "You think I...I can just let you walk out that door to your death and stay here? I know you aren't planning on coming back, Aloy, I'm not stupid."

The huntress tried her best to suppress the low whine in her throat. "You know I don't want to," she said, wrapping her arms around Talanah's back. "I just...I know the odds aren't good and I don't want to promise you something that might not happen."

"So let me help you," Talanah said quietly, tightening her grip around the girl's waist. "I can't just...I can't watch our future vanish because you're too stubborn to let me come."

Aloy coughed a sarcastic laugh, "What future, Talanah? Every time I think this ends, there's _more._ It never stops."

Talanah paused a moment, feeling the up and down of Aloy's chest against her own. What she would give to preserve this moment before she walked out the door, with the redhead present, here, _alive._ "Everything we talked about before coming back to the city," she said quietly. "By the Sun, Aloy, I know you want it too."

"Of course I do, Talanah," Aloy admitted, finally allowing some of her hardened exterior to melt away. She tucked her face into the side of the Sun-Hawk's throat, wishing she could stay there. "More than anything."

"Then we go together," Talanah insisted. "Whether we live or die, I'm doing it by your side, little Thrush. I love you too much to let you go alone."

\------

Elisabet entered the final few lines as GAIA's image sat across from her, injuries healing in real time as the redhead typed--a visual indicator of her effectiveness, a slight whimper escaping the AI. Elisabet knew the display was all for her benefit, but it was still relieving to know her efforts were working. Petra knelt by her side, packing their essentials for the trip to Sunfall. 

Elisabet hit the final input. "Done," she said.

GAIA let out a gasp, any remaining evidence of her damage now gone. "Thank you, Elisabet," she breathed. 

"Feeling better?"

"Immensely."

"Fire and spit, you sure took a beating for us," Petra said.

GAIA nodded sadly. "I failed you all, and now Aloy is paying the price."

Elisabet winced. "You heard everything, didn't you?"

"Even if responding was difficult, I could listen," the AI said. "And I regrettably agree that sending her is the only viable choice."

The AI's eyes were mournful, mirroring Elisabet's own. "I wish she didn't have to go."

"I know, Elisabet. Me too. But I will be with her, at least until she reaches the Cauldron. Until HEPHAESTUS is overridden, I will have no way to monitor her inside."

Chills ran through Elisabet's spine, remembering the last Cauldron Aloy entered and Petra reached up to squeeze her hand, strong calloused fingers trying to bleed reassurance into the redhead's skin.

A sick, uneasy feeling churned through them both.

"Come on," Petra urged, "let's go catch Flame-Hair before she tries to do something heroic and leave without saying goodbye."

Elisabet hung her head, frowning while she looked at GAIA. "Too much like me for her own good."

\------

Petra and Elisabet climbed the stairs into the main room, finding Aloy and Talanah each equipped with their packs, bows, and quivers. 

"Going together?" Petra asked.

Talanah looked at Aloy and smiled, nodding. 

"Steel to my bones, I'm glad to hear it," the Oseram admitted. "Flame-Hair's too stubborn to admit it, but she's stronger when she's got good people with her. Just like her mother," she grinned.

"Hey!" Aloy exclaimed.

"What?" Elisabet shrugged. "She's right."

"How's GAIA?" the girl asked.

The AI's projection filtered in next to them, looking like her usual self. "Much better, child, thank you. But I must apologize."

"For what?" Aloy asked softly.

"For not succeeding. If I had, you would not be forced into this position, risking yourself again," the AI admitted.

The girl stepped closer to the holo-image of her second mother, letting GAIA's palm rest on her cheek. "You were outnumbered," Aloy said understandingly. "We couldn't have known."

"That does not change the guilt I feel, seeing the two of you go," GAIA frowned.

"But you'll be with us, right?" Talanah asked.

"Yes, Talanah," GAIA replied. "I will be in contact the entire time, except for when you enter the Cauldron. I cannot penetrate the communications block in the areas HEPHAESTUS still maintains control. I admit this makes me...nervous. The last time I lost the ability to monitor Aloy in a Cauldron..."

"That's why I'm going with her," the Sun-Hawk said, cutting the AI short. "Sun's Light, I am _not_ letting her die in there, okay?"

"Thank you, Talanah," GAIA said. "I am glad my daughter has a mate such as yourself."

The Sun-Hawk blushed a moment before the sobering reality of their farewell fell back into place. Petra stepped forward, knowing Elisabet was dreading the next few moments. She wrapped Aloy and Talanah both in a muscled hug, muttering something about smelted metal that Aloy had to assume was a wish for good luck before planting a brief kiss to each of their cheeks. "You two," she began, swallowing her nerves, "get it done and come home safe, you hear me? No excuses."

"You too, Petra," Aloy said. "Watch out for my mother, will you?"

"You know I can't keep my eyes off of her," the Oseram teased, eliciting a well earned sigh from the girl that was equal parts exasperation and love.

Once Petra had backed away, Elisabet stepped forward, an arm on each girl's shoulder, her composure visibly shaken. "Just...come back to me, okay, girls? I'm...I'm..." but before she could finish, the two younger women had each crushed her into a hug.

"I'll make sure she comes home," Talanah promised. "I swear it." She broke away as Elisabet nodded, teary-eyed and too choked up to get the words out, though the Carja understood all the same. 

Elisabet and Aloy stayed in a tight embrace, knowing the moment they pulled apart, that there were no guarantees either of them would ever see the other again. 

"I'm...I'm not good at goodbyes," Aloy whispered, her face pressed into Elisabet's braids.

"Neither am I," the older woman croaked, simply rocking the two of them in place. They lingered a moment longer, each of them dampening the other with fresh tears. Elisabet had so much she wanted to say to the girl. So many things she wanted to apologize for. So much rage she wanted to express at the unfairness of it all. She wanted to beg and plead to go in her stead, to wish the girl could be safe and secure. Instead, all the came out was, "I love you _so_ goddamn much, baby girl. I'll be waiting for you _when_ you get back." 

When. Not if. When. It was a certainty. It had to be.

"I love you too," Aloy breathed into the side of her neck.

Elisabet squeezed her one last time before the two younger women backed away, tightening their packs and pouches before opening the front door and stepping through the threshold. Petra stood at the entrance, one arm propped on the doorframe, watching them walk away. Elisabet stood behind her, arms wrapped around Petra's waist, her chin propped on the Oseram's shoulder, chest shuddering behind her. 

"You watch over our girls, now, GAIA," she whispered into her Focus.

"Always, Petra."

\------

The next hours were a blur, of gathering necessities and supplies while trying to tamp down the overwhelming anxiety building in her chest every time she thought back to Aloy leaving. The sun was beginning to set and Elisabet shook her head to clear her thoughts. She couldn't linger. Couldn't pause. Petra would need her help with her bad arm, and they had to be ready for Sunfall at dawn. 

"They have reached the edge of the Jewel," GAIA chirped into her ear. 

Elisabet paused a moment, pressing her lips thin. "Everything going okay?"

"Aloy and Talanah are still well within charted territory they are familiar with, yes. Talanah is particularly well versed with the area and as such, they are making good time, even through the thick of the jungle."

"They'll never beat the machines here," Elisabet mused out loud.

"No," GAIA admitted. "They will not. But they are going as fast as they can."

Elisabet took a deep breath, continuing to sort through what was important to bring and what wasn't. "Aren't we all?"

"I am nervous too, Elisabet."

"Reading my vitals?"

"I do not have to. I understand your fear intimately."

"Sometimes I feel like that's all I have left."

Elisabet hurriedly stuffed more items into her and Petra's bags, gritting her teeth, anger rippling through her. Anger at the rogue sub-functions. At Ted. At a world that had forced her daughter into risking her life again and again and again. Fuck. 

She had to channel it. Needed to use it.

She was going to build some _goddamn_ cannons.

\------

The ride to Sunfall had been brutal in its efficiency and speed, Marad's caravan of the Vanguard only stopping twice. Elisabet had offered overridden striders courtesy of GAIA, but Erend had refused, knowing that most were still too wary of riding machines, despite how often they saw Aloy do it. She and Petra rode in a small covered wagon pulled by royal servants. She'd nearly declined out of principle, but with Petra's arm still healing, she felt obligated to take the favor for the Oseram's sake.

They reached the fortress city by sunset and Elisabet gasped, squeezing Petra's good hand.

"What is it, Lis?"

"A-Aloy told me, but I just...I didn't think after all this time..."

"You know this place?

Elisabet nodded solemnly. She hadn't laid eyes on it until now, but the orbital launch ring was unmistakable. Zero Dawn. It laid quiet and abandoned in the depths beneath.

"This...this is where I worked to build Zero Dawn. The facility is under the ring."

"Under the Sun-Ring?"

"I spent the last year and a half of my life underground, programming in a race against time just over there. Spending my days knowing that the world outside was becoming more and more a wasteland. Countless deaths, the environment slowly being eaten and destroyed. By the time I even emerged, it was just to move GAIA to her final installation in the mountain. Everything was...was brown and dead. You couldn't breathe the air. Couldn't drink the water. The earth was poison, Petra."

The Oseram leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, lingering for a moment. "The world I grew up in _wasn't_ poison, Lis. It was beautiful. You _did_ that."

"GAIA did that," Elisabet replied. "I was dead. Or at least I tried to be. Fucked that one up, too," she said ruefully, voice full of self-pity.

Petra shot her self-deprecating remark a sharp glance. "Don't. Don't...say that. I know you're hurting. By the forge, I am too."

"If I'd been better, she wouldn't be in danger," the redhead retorted.

"If anything had played out differently, she would not _exist,_ " GAIA reminded through their Focuses. 

Elisabet's lips pressed into a thin line, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. "I'm sorry, I'm just...on edge."

Petra kissed her. She knew how the redhead struggled. Struggled with the guilt of surviving her own world's extinction. How she felt her efforts, despite their obvious successes, had still failed in so many ways. Had still allowed for so much suffering. It made her chest ache to see someone so brilliant and strong suffer with such anguish. And if they lived through the coming days, she'd be damned if she let Elisabet drown in her own despair again. 

The wagon came to a halt, servants quickly whisking away their belongings to a room designated for the pair. Elisabet climbed out, supporting Petra as she did the same. She clenched her jaw and cast her eyes away from the orbital ring, turning her gaze instead to the impressive architecture of the fortress. She couldn't admire it for long though, knowing they were on a desperate time table.

Petra placed her good hand on the small of Elisabet's back, the redhead shrugging into the welcome warmth. 

"Come on, Lis, I'll show you everything I know."

\------

They rode until even Aloy herself couldn't feel anything below the waist, her legs painfully numbing. She and Talanah were deep in the Jewel as the first night of their journey took hold and though both were beginning to tire, they knew sleep would be in short supply if they had any hope of reaching the Cauldron in time to override HEPHAESTUS before the new models could overrun the Sundom and beyond. Before they killed everyone she'd ever known. Before it killed Avad. Vanasha. Erend. Petra.

Her mother.

Their pace only slowed once the jungle became too dense for their striders to sprint. Instead, the two huntresses dismounted, leading their striders on foot through the thick undergrowth. "It should clear in a couple hours, just before daybreak, then we can follow the river south," Aloy said.

Talanah arched an eyebrow, illuminated by the blue light of her strider. "You already know how to get there?"

"No, not entirely. But the start of the route is similar to when I first went to the Forbidden West."

"When you went to find your mother?" Talanah asked softly.

Aloy made a noise of confirmation, thinking back to how she had found the Sobeck-- _her family's_ ranch. She found herself silently mulling over the holo photos she'd seen of her mother growing up there, curious and bright-eyed. Of her grandmother's windswept hair as she gazed out at something she couldn't see. 

"Did you...see anything? You hear stories..." Talanah said. 

"I didn't encounter anyone once I left the Sundom, if that's what you're asking," Aloy replied, continuing to quickly find her footing, one foot after the other. "But...that doesn't mean there's no one out there. I saw signs..."

"Of other tribes?"

"Yeah," Aloy breathed. "I don't know if they'd moved on or kept their distance, but...there has to be other tribes there. Seems like every time I turn around, the world gets bigger."

"That's kind of terrifying," the Sun-Hawk admitted, trying to stifle a yawn. There would be no rest tonight, nor anytime soon.

"It is," the redhead began, "But it's also kind of amazing. It makes me appreciate why my mother fought so hard to save it."

"GAIA, how many people lived on Earth when the Old Ones were around?" Talanah asked into her Focus.

"Approximately nine billion people were alive prior to the Faro Plague," the AI responded quietly.

"H-how many is a billion?" Talanah replied.

"Have you ever tried to count blades of grass?" GAIA asked.

Talanah's eyes went wide with realization. "...And...and they _all_ died?"

"All except Elisabet," the AI answered. "Some due to Faro's machinations. Some due to famine and disease in the end days. Others of old age in the hidden bunkers built across the planet."

"And how many people are there now?" Aloy asked, her interest piqued.

"While my ability to receive population information is not as precise as record keeping was in Elisabet's time, I estimate approximately five-hundred million people in existence today all over the planet, most major civilizations in close proximity to the Cradle facilities where humanity first re-emerged."

"That sounds like a lot," the redhead said.

"Yes, child."

"But," Aloy sighed, "a lot less than it was."

"Correct. The Earth's current population is only five percent of what it was. Think of it as...five shards of a bag of one hundred."

Talanah's expression dropped. "Only...five? Sun and Shadow...and if we don't stop HEPHAESTUS..."

"...It could easily wipe out the remainder of the Earth's population, starting with the Sundom," GAIA explained.

The Sun-Hawk swallowed heavily and she reached for Aloy's hand, lacing their fingers together. 

"Then we'll fight for it," Aloy said simply. "We have to."

\------

"Okay, now connect this wire right here," Petra instructed, leaning over Elisabet's shoulder. The pair were gathered in their temporary workshop, having only slept a few hours before waking before sunrise and getting to work. Sunfall was now littered with Oseram Freebooters from Meridian, and residents of Free Heap alike, all of them eagerly working on Petra's designs, parts being assembled with startling craftsmanship and speed.

"Like this?" Elisabet asked, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Damn, you're good at this," Petra breathed close, letting her calloused fingers trace over the redhead's work and then up the trail of the woman's pale, freckled skin, her arms exposed as she worked.

"You want to try it out?" the Oseram smirked. 

"I'd better," Elisabet replied with a small frown. "You can't shoot with your arm in that shape."

"Come on," Petra urged, "It's heavy. You got it?"

Elisabet grunted with the effort, "Christ, how does anyone _move_ with these goddamn things?" she spat.

"They're not meant for moving, Lis. Stationary gunner positions only. Once we get them in place, there isn't much running around."

Elisabet's arm's burned with the effort before they got to the designated area for target practice. "Okay, now what?" the older woman asked.

Petra positioned herself behind Elisabet, guiding her. "Now brace it with your arms, but don't lock your elbows."

"Like this?"

"No!" Petra admonished, "By the forge, not against your hips. Not if you ever want me to make _good use_ of them again," she teased. 

"How is it we're days away from potentially dying and you still find time to flirt?" Elisabet asked.

"I like to live my life to the fullest, however many days I have left," the Oseram grinned. "Okay, now aim wide for those boulders over there, the shot will spray, and pull this trigger here..."

Elisabet squeezed and braced for impact as the cannon kicked against the strength of her biceps, the fiery projectiles hitting their target in the distance with a thunderous boom. 

"Fire and spit, you sure you weren't an Oseram in your old life?" Petra congratulated.

Elisabet eased the cannon to the ground, rising to her feet again and kissing Petra. "Honorary, maybe?"

"You spark hotter than just about anyone I know. Nothing honorary about it."

They laughed with an ease that hid unspoken raw nerves, but the moment was temporary and there was so much more to be done. 

Just then, the redhead heard a chirp in her ear. "Elisabet, Aloy and Talanah have just crossed the border into Nevada."

She froze. "That quickly? But how?"

"They have not stopped."

\------

Talanah's muscles ached but she dared not complain, knowing Aloy was pushing herself just as hard. Their striders galloped beneath them and she was drenched in sweat, the sun directly overhead. They were each wearing long sleeved but thin Carja cottons along with a light headscarf to avoid burning. Talanah wasn't sure how it was possible, but if anything, this 'Nevada' as Aloy had called it, was even hotter than the Sundom itself.

"You are both showing signs of fatigue," GAIA called softly into their Focuses. "You should rest."

Aloy's lips pressed thin. "No time," she insisted, though she could feel the nod of her head every time she blinked too long. 

"You have been awake for well over twenty-four hours," the AI noted.

"Yeah, and how many nights did my mother not sleep while she was making a stand against the machines?" Aloy quipped back, perhaps more harshly than she had intended. She winced. "Sorry, GAIA. I...I didn't mean to snap."

"I have taken no offense," GAIA soothed. "And you are not wrong. Elisabet often would forego rest, despite my pleading to the contrary. You two are so very much alike."

Talanah sighed despite herself, eyes blinking heavily and thighs burning with the exertion of keeping herself stable through the strider's movements. "GAIA, talk to me," the Sun-Hawk breathed. "Keep me awake."

"Shall I tell you both about where you are? Nevada is the state where Elisabet grew up, just outside of Carson City. The state was once home to a city called Las Vegas, considered a gambling capital of the world..."

The two continued to ride, not even stopping to eat or drink--only taking sustenance from whatever supplies they had in their pouches. Aloy took a swig from her water skin and popped a few dried berries into her mouth. It wasn't much, but it was something. Her mind was beginning to feel cloudy, her head heavy. She shuttered the feeling aside, gritting her teeth, though she secretly wished they could stop for Talanah's sake. The Sun-Hawk was already sacrificing so much to come with her on this journey, and Aloy hated making her suffer knowing there was so little chance they'd even make it back.

Her grip tightened on the strider's mane-like wiring. "Are you all right?" GAIA asked, clearly directing the message privately to the huntress. 

"No," Aloy said shortly. "No, I'm not. But when has that ever mattered?"

"It matters a great deal to me, child. It always has. It always will."

\------

It was nearly midnight when Petra and Elisabet decided to turn in, allowing the night crew to continue in their stead, dozens of Oseram and Carja alike working in shifts around blaze-powered lights. They were making better time with weapons construction than they'd thought, but Elisabet still found herself wondering if it would be enough. 

"Any word on what's coming our way, GAIA?" Elisabet asked, exhaustion seeping into her tone. 

"I am unable to detect the signals of models directly controlled by HEPHAESTUS, just as before. However, if Aloy makes visual contact with any along her journey, I will be able to read any information her Focus picks up and relay it to you."

She and the Oseram were changing from grimy, grease-stained work aprons and sparkworker gear, each taking their turn scrubbing in the wash basin in their shared room. No time for the luxuries of bathhouses now, much to Elisabet's chagrin. 

"How are the girls?" Petra asked, chiming as she changed into something clean. 

"Tired. They refused to stop until Aloy nearly fell off her strider."

"Is she okay?" Elisabet quickly inquired, pulse quickening.

"Yes, Elisabet," the AI confirmed. "Talanah convinced her to settle down for a few hours, at least."

Petra padded over to Elisabet's side, letting her good hand knead the tense muscle of the redhead's shoulders for a few minutes, until she coaxed the woman into bed. "You coming?" Elisabet questioned.

"Just a second," Petra replied, grabbing a small tin of ochrebloom salve from her pack. 

"I sense distress, Petra," GAIA said quietly. 

"'Course you do," the Oseram replied in a whisper. "I love those girls like they're my own."

GAIA made a sound of warm agreement. "Keep Elisabet safe for me, Petra."

"Always."

With that, Petra took off the metallic triangle, placing it beside their bed. She opened the tin, spreading a thick portion on her fingertips. "Off with it," she said, gesturing to Elisabet's thin sleep shirt. 

"What?"

"Off, I know you're sore."

"Petra, it's late," she said, trying to ignore the truth in her words. 

"Yeah, and you've been the one doing all the heavy lifting with this arm of mine. I know those cannons kick like a startled strider. Now, off with it."

Elisabet did as she was asked, shrugging out of the loose top while Petra inched close, smoothing the salve over the other woman's pale skin and lean, aching muscle. Quickly, she leaned back into the Oseram's touch, the warm painkilling sensation spreading over her joints and seeping into her. 

"I don't know how you do it," Elisabet remarked as Petra worked along her shoulders and upper arms.

"Do what?"

"This. For me. Now, of all times."

"Told you," the Oseram replied, "I like to live my life to the fullest. And I'm not letting some threat _days away_ stop me from doing what I want _right now._ "

Petra finished her gentle passes, her hand working firmly into tense knots. "Flip," she commanded, and the redhead did as she was told, letting the Oseram's weight settle over her hips. "See? If you'd propped that cannon the way you were intending, I couldn't do _this,_ " she teased, kissing her deeply.

"You're distracting me from worrying about the girls," Elisabet accused gently.

"Oh? Hadn't noticed," Petra smiled, kissing her again, letting her fingertips trail down the redhead's exposed sternum.

"I love you for it."

\------

Deep purple shadows had taken up residence under Aloy's eyes.

It had been almost two days without sleep and after her near fall, Talanah wasn't letting the girl out of her sight until she knew with certainty that she'd rested at least a little. The huntresses had slowed their striders to an easy walk, looking for a place to set up camp and start a fire.

Talanah indicated a small outcropping of rocks they could take shelter against, urging Aloy to sit while she gathered some brush and nearby ridgewood for kindling. She quickly struck her flint and started a fire while their striders laid down a few feet away, providing a barrier between them and the rest of the desert. Aloy unpacked their bedrolls and placed them side by side. She then rummaged through their packs for a few pieces of bread and dried meats.

The two sat in near silence, the only sound the soft whirring mechanisms moving inside the striders. The two took their places around the fire, the occasional groan escaping one or the other as they stretched and popped stiff joints. 

"You know we can't stay long," Aloy finally mumbled, half asleep as she ate. She tapped a few commands on her Focus, setting the alarm for four hours later. The heat from the flame felt good against her skin, beating back the chill of the desert night.

"I know, little Thrush," Talanah said gently stroking the girl's freckled cheek, "But we have to get a few hours in. You almost fell from your strider at a gallop, Aloy. Thank the Sun you didn't."

Aloy blushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she muttered, taking a gulp of water. Talanah took Aloy's remaining food and drink, packing it away before urging the girl to lay back on her bedroll. The Carja laid behind her, tucking her chin into Aloy's shoulder and her arms around her waist. They were grimy and tired, but neither woman could bring themselves to care. Instead, Talanah focused on the throb in the girl's ribs. She was still safe. Still here in her arms. For now, at least.

"Sleep now," the Sun-Hawk soothed, wrapping Aloy in the protective curve of her body and pulling up a shared blanket.

The stars shined brightly above, the sky bright with their dusting and Aloy couldn't help but catch a glance as she closed her eyes. She found herself hoping that one day she could spend calm, peaceful nights counting them with Talanah at her side.

"I never did thank you," Aloy said as fatigue began to pull at her eyes, breath coming slower and slower.

"For what?"

"For coming with me. You didn't have to."

"Yes I did. You know that," Talanah said, breathing in the scent of her skin.

"...I know that," Aloy agreed.

\------

They woke in an hour disowned by both night and day, hoping to cross more of the desert in cooler hours. By the time the sun was firmly overhead, the two huntresses had ridden for nearly six hours, noting as the sand dunes began to give way to flatter plains of desert with more rocky mountains in the distance.

Aloy's Focus indicated they were nearing the halfway point of their journey and not a moment too soon. With the pace they were keeping, they'd be lucky to make it back alive just from sheer exhaustion. As they rode, the huntresses did their best to keep their eyes sharp, knowing there was a good chance they could cross paths with some of the oncoming machines, eager to avoid an altercation and keep HEPHAESTUS in the dark about their position. 

"You see that?" the Sun-Hawk asked into her Focus from atop her strider, directed at Aloy.

The redhead flashed her a look of confusion before she caught it: the unmistakable glint of the sun on freshly forged gleaming metal in the distance, a few bright spots dotting the ground, others in the sky itself. 

"Get down!" the huntress ordered.

The two pulled hard on the wired manes of their striders, getting them to halt as the women ducked behind some rock formations and low-lying brush. Aloy coaxed the striders into following suit, the two mechanical beasts dropping to all fours at their backs. The redhead quickly tapped her Focus several times, zooming in and locking on the visual. 

She gasped, first spotting the flying machines above. They were large, nearly as big as stormbirds, and armed with fiery projectiles that appeared primed for long range capabilities. Clasped in their talons were what appeared to be large fish-like creatures that were all teeth and chillwater armament. The bird-like machines were clearly meant to stay airborne, attacking from a distance and deploying the water dwelling machinations into the rivers and water supplies as they arrived.

The redhead gasped, looking next at ground based machines quickly moving in the opposite direction, toward the Sundom. Toward her friends. Toward her mother and Petra.

"What is it, little Thrush?" Talanah asked, concern lacing her voice.

Aloy swallowed around the lump forming in her throat.

"It's...that's...that's the one that...almost..."

Aloy didn't have it in her to finish the sentence and Talanah held her breath not wanting to relive the memory.

The machines moved with a feline-like pace, a fanned out set of steel shielding around their necks, paws armed with deadly, strong claws. Synthetic muscle rippled beneath the tell-tale purple hue that engulfed it.

"GAIA, are you seeing this?"

"Yes, Aloy. It would appear HEPHAESTUS has taken inspiration from _Pelagornis sandersi, Carcharodon carcharias,_ and _Panthera leo._ "

"What does that mean?" Talanah asked.

"Ancient birds of prey, sharks, and lions," the AI explained. She quickly displayed a few images for the two, knowing they had no point of reference. It made the Sun-Hawk's stomach drop. 

Aloy frowned. Air. Land. Sea. It would be an all-out onslaught. They had to hurry. 

"GAIA, get this to my mother and Petra," she commanded.

"Relaying machine identification now."

_MACHINE ID: FIREWING_

_MACHINE ID: AQUAMAW_

_MACHINE ID: STEELMANE_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took over three weeks to get out. With the holidays coming the next couple of chapter updates may take longer.
> 
> I'm estimating another 2-3 chapters to go, and then there will be a multi-chapter epilogue, which will be included in the Sobeck Women series as a separate work. Keep on the lookout!


	19. Sacrifice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy whatever-you-celebrate! 
> 
> This is hands down the longest chapter I've ever written, and I managed to get it out just before the holidays! Read, enjoy, and take time for yourselves as the decade winds down. You deserve it.
> 
> I won't be writing for the remainder of my vacation and will likely resume after the first, so look for the next chapter in January! This story is coming to a close, but will have a multi-chapter epilogue after that will be included in this series of works.
> 
> \------
> 
> If you haven't already read my prologue [To Serve Life](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20695676) you should go do that first. There will be several references to it this chapter. It's not important in terms of content, but more so context.

Where was she? 

Where was her daughter? 

A flash of fiery red caught the corner of her eye and she followed without quite knowing how she'd even moved. The walls glowed an eerie, haunted purple and the triangular circuitry and architecture called her back to a time when Margo had first suggested the Cauldrons. She remembered thinking it should have felt like a victory. She remembered the crushing weight of despair despite it. The knowing that it wasn't enough. Nothing was enough. Nothing could save them. Not really.

Everything was dying.

Everyone was dying.

_Where was Aloy?_

She turned a corner to find a small girl with bright green-gold eyes and vibrant red hair wearing a baggy gray Agrarium sweatshirt. Agrarium? The name seemed so familiar. That was where her mother had worked nearly twenty... _no,_ nearly a _thousand_ years ago. There wasn't a moment to register her relief at finding the little one before she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the slick metal of the Cauldron and _knew._ Knew it deep in her gut. The face that stared back at her was so painfully similar, yet not her own. 

The face of Miriam Sobeck reflected back at her, jaw slightly softer and less square than her own. Cheeks a touch more angular and less broad. Nose a bit more narrow and shapely. Not that anyone ever noticed those things. All they had ever seen was the similarity. They shared the same eyes. The same lips. The same determined brow. The same pale, freckled skin and bright red hair. Instantly, her chest ached.

"Mama?" 

Elisabet spun, only to find the little girl gone, her adult daughter in her place, convulsing with pain in pool of blood.

No, no this couldn't be right.

"Mother, it _hurts,_ " the dying young woman cried, reaching for Elisabet's arms. She could feel the sticky, sick warmth of the girl's blood coating her hands, coating her torso as she held Aloy close, the gray sweatshirt, no longer so baggy, now deep red. 

Elisabet's eyes darted around the shadows for the culprit, gaze meeting the red lights of the steelmane ready to pounce for the kill. The machine. Her system. _Her goddamn system._ It had killed the one person she loved more than anyone else in this world. The steelmane uttered a mechanical growl of warning and Elisabet faced it, feeling the dead weight of Aloy in her arms. Her fingers quickly darted to the girl's throat, seeking any sign of a pulse only to be met with stillness that made her insides feel like they were made of ice. 

She stared down the steelmane, hot tears leaking down the sides of her face and let loose a scream that was equal parts rage and mourning, her entire body shaking with its force. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew the voice that erupted from her chest was not her own. 

It was her mother's.

\------

"Lis! Lis, it's okay. Breathe. Just breathe."

Petra held Elisabet tightly, the redhead shaking and clammy. It was still firmly night outside the room they shared at Sunfall and Elisabet had woken to her own sleep-heavy screams. The Oseram's strong arms kept her steady though Petra was acutely aware of the harsh pounding beneath Elisabet's ribs.

The redhead had acted calmly and under control three days prior when they'd both received GAIA's transmission, revealing that the girls had encountered some of the new machines on their journey--but Petra had suspected. Had known the cool demeanor Elisabet had adopted was hiding more than she wanted to let on. 

Elisabet clutched onto Petra's good arm. "It never stops," she whispered over and over into the Oseram's hair. Petra didn't have to ask what. She could see the endless war in the redhead's face. In the quiet moments when her thousand year old grief caught up with her. Like it had when they'd first arrived in Sunfall. 

The redhead tightened her grip against Petra's skin, breathing in the fire and copper scent. 

"She's not safe," Elisabet said soberly. "She's n-not safe, Petra."

"Steel to my bones, I know she isn't," Petra replied in quiet agreement. "But they have each other. And _you_ have _me._ " 

Elisabet simply nodded into the Oseram's chest. "I love you. I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I'm sorry."

There was a soft knock on the door. "Everything all right in there?" 

Petra slid from their shared bedrolls, quickly padding over and sliding the lock. 

"What's going on? I heard a scream," Erend said bashfully, trying not to invade their privacy too much. 

"Don't worry about it," Petra insisted. "Besides, what are you doing up at this hour? You should be getting as much shut eye as you can. Machines'll be here in less than two days."

"Steel to my bones, I promised Avad and Aloy I wouldn't let you two go unguarded. Tonight's my shift. What kind of captain of the Vanguard would I be if I didn't pull my weight as well as my men?"

Petra gave him a tired smile. "You're a good man, Erend Vanguardsman."

Erend blushed at the compliment, shrugging. "So uh...you-you sure everything's okay?" he asked, clearly still troubled.

Petra paused, closing the door partially behind her and stepping out into the hall. "Lis, uh, sometimes she...she doesn't sleep well."

"Aloy doesn't either," he said knowingly. "We had to set up camp one time on the way to track down Ersa. I heard her scream in the middle of the night--tried to ask her what was wrong but she brushed me off. In the morning she acted like it had never happened."

"Those two have...more than a few lifetimes of horrific memories each."

Erend nodded. "You'd better be getting back."

"I'd better," she said, blinking tiredly.

She quietly closed the door and made her way back to the bedrolls, finding Elisabet still awake and huddled into herself.

Petra slid into the blankets and carded her fingers through the woman's hair, brushing against the braids Elisabet kept. "Shh," the Oseram soothed. "Come on now, rest, love. Sleep."

After a few minutes, she stilled, twining herself into the Oseram. She wished they were home in Meridian, in her own bed with the knowledge that Aloy and Talanah would be safely asleep in the upper room. Petra's good arm pulled snugly around her hips, feeling as the throb of Elisabet's body eventually slowed.

They had a day and a half. Maybe two. She couldn't stand the idea that perhaps it was all they would get.

The Oseram kissed the nape of Elisabet's neck, her lack of reaction confirming she was asleep. It was only then, in the darkest hour of the night, alone and without witness, that Petra Forgewoman allowed herself to cry.

\------

"Welcome to California," GAIA chirped into their Focuses. 

The two huntresses were grimy and slicked with sweat as they crossed through the Californian desert, the sky blue and clear overhead, sun burning down above them. The AI had attempted to keep up a cheerful monologue in order to help keep the pair awake. It had been nearly two days since they'd slept last and both were fading quickly. Still, the two rode on in spite of their exhaustion, knowing that making good time was the only way they stood a chance of overriding HEPHAESTUS before too much blood was shed at Sunfall.

"How much longer until we get there, GAIA?" Aloy asked.

"You are currently four hours from what was once Joshua Tree National Park. At your present speed, I estimate your arrival in approximately sixteen hours if you do not stop, though that would be...ill advised."

The redhead gritted her teeth. As much as she hated to admit it, she and Talanah were both wearing thin with the pace they'd been keeping. They'd already managed to cut down their travel time by over a day, putting them nearly on par with the machines' arrival in Sunfall, but she knew there was no way they could tackle the Cauldron without getting a few hours of rest.

"You have not slept a full night since you departed, child," GAIA noted gently.

Aloy sighed, body moving in time with her strider's gait. "I know...I know. If we rest for tonight, where does that put us?"

"You will arrive roughly two hours after the machines lay siege to Sunfall."

The girl's lips pressed into a thin line. 

"I know you do not relish the idea of allowing your mother and Petra to fight any longer than they have to, but if you and Talanah do not rest before your own battles..."

"Point taken," the girl conceded.

"Your mother and grandmother were here once, you know," GAIA said, changing the subject. 

Aloy's expression softened. "Both of them? Why? When?"

GAIA made a knowing sound. "Miriam took Elisabet camping in the national park. Elisabet told me once that it was one of her favorite memories with her mother. She was twelve." 

Suddenly a short recording floated before her, the two smiling faces echoing back her own features, the voices of a young Elisabet and a forty-year-old Miriam filtering in, undoubtedly plucked from the trove of data Elisabet had given her, a small trinket she had yet to find herself. She stared with a longing she couldn't quite describe, her chest aching.

"GAIA?"

"Yes, Aloy?"

"If we...if I don't make it, will you send a message to my mother for me?"

"Aloy, child, you _are_ coming home when this is all finished," the AI intoned.

"But...but what if I don't?" Aloy whispered. "GAIA you have to promise me."

The AI remained silent, air between them.

"GAIA."

"...I...will do ask you ask," GAIA began, voice noticeably cracking. She continued as if swallowing back unshed tears. "But I _refuse_ to consider the likelihood of that outcome. I cannot bear the thought of it."

Aloy frowned to herself. "And GAIA? If...if it's just Talanah who gets out, guide her home," she said, voice thick with emotion. "Make sure she gets back to Meridian."

"Aloy...I have already watched one Sobeck knowingly march to her death. Please, do not walk into that Cauldron intending to die."

"You think I want to, GAIA?" Aloy replied softly, eyes cast down to the desert. The AI was silent, waiting. "...I don't _want_ to die," she said, finally. 

"What _do_ you want, Aloy?"

The redhead pressed her lips thin, brows knitting together. The truth was that every hour they drew closer to the Cauldron, the more she found herself thinking back to Talanah's daydreams that night by the fire as they left the Sacred Land. So much of it would be difficult to achieve, only overcome by having time to slowly chip away, and Goddess, she was desperate for time. To live. To learn her mother's skills. To help educate the people of this world and protect them. To love Talanah. To be loved by her mother and GAIA and even Petra. She found herself even errantly considering what the Sun-Hawk had suggested: one day, many years from now, doing the _hard work_ willingly--joyfully, even, knowing she'd have the strength of her mate and her family at her side. Providing a home and love to something small and new from the very beginning. To stop dealing in death so freely. To watch something—someone—grow and thrive. 

What could that be like? 

_"Who would you be, kiddo?"_ she found herself wondering, the voice in her head a mix of her own, her mother and grandmother. Three generations of doubt and duty and dying for the cause. She shook her head, casting a glance at Talanah several yards away on her own strider. She looked beautiful, even as exhausted and dirty as she was and Aloy could see it all playing out before her. No. No. Daydreaming would get her nowhere right now. 

"Aloy?" GAIA asked again, clearly concerned at the long pause and trying to engage her daughter in thoughts of anything other than her own death. "What do you want?"

"...I want too much."

\------

Petra was shouting orders like she owned the place and Erend couldn't help but admire that quality in Oseram women--the same sort of leadership Ersa had always shown. It was mid-afternoon and the whole of Sunfall was busy preparing their weapons of war. Oseram from Meridian and Free Heap alike worked side by side in construction, knowing that for each cannon they completed, there was more standing between them and murder by machine. Erend had kept his word, cycling out his men and himself, keeping an ever vigilant eye on Petra and Elisabet both and it would stay that way if he had any say in it. He owed Aloy that much. Hammer to steel, they all did.

Elisabet was building nearby, alternating between doing the work herself and checking on the others. She'd learned the design quickly--quicker than Petra could have hoped. Of course she had. That woman never ceased to amaze her. She marched over, arm still in a sling, to lean into Elisabet's side. "How we doing, Lis?"

"Looks like we'll end up with twenty just before they arrive," the older redhead muttered. "Will it be enough?"

"It's close to what we had at the Battle of Meridian."

"Yeah but people were just collateral damage then. This time, they're the target," Elisabet mused.

"Steel to my bones, I know it," Petra replied darkly. "It'll have to be enough."

The redhead directed Petra to a far corner with herself. "GAIA, what's the ETA on the machines?" Elisabet whispered in the large work area, not wanting others to overhear.

"Arrival expected tomorrow morning," the AI replied. 

Elisabet pinched the bridge of her nose. It was like it was all happening over again, flashes of her last worried sick hours at Zero Dawn, knowing they were on a countdown to extinction. She remembered puking when she got the news that zero day was hitting earlier than expected, and to think that it happened not a hundred yards from where she was standing now. It was almost enough to make her vomit all over again, skin going pale and clammy.

Before she knew it, Petra's warm palm was at the back of her neck, shooing her away into a more private space. "Lis, look at me," she coaxed.

Green-gold eyes met her own and the Oseram held their gaze. "Stay with me. I need you," Petra commanded. 

Elisabet nodded and swallowed, taking a deep breath.

"GAIA, how are the girls?" Petra asked for both of them, keeping her hand on the back of Elisabet's neck. 

"They are passing through Joshua Tree National Park and have made good time. Aloy was happy to hear that you had been there previously."

Elisabet inhaled sharply, remembering the trip she'd taken there with her mother, wishing Aloy could see it under different circumstances. "How are they holding up?"

"Focus readings indicate physical symptoms of sleep deprivation, dehydration and minor malnutrition. Nothing life threatening, but I have managed to convince them to take a full night's rest prior to entering the cauldron. Unfortunately, this will mean they will not beat the machine's pace. I hope this is acceptable. I...worry for them," the AI replied.

"You did the right thing," Petra said. "Those girls are as good as dead if they pass out inside. We'll hold them off."

Elisabet was still quiet, a war raging in her chest, every cell vibrating with anxiety. 

Petra placed a gentle kiss at her hairline. "I've got to go, love. No time to spare. Take a moment, but not too long," the Oseram advised softly. She turned to stride away. "You got her, GAIA?"

"I will try to calm her," the AI replied. 

"She's seen this happen too many times," Petra muttered angrily. 

"Once would have been too many," GAIA agreed.

"I love her," the Oseram said.

"As do I."

\------

Elisabet swiped at the sweat along her brow, her hands shaking. She'd been fine once she'd gotten up and moving that morning, but the moment GAIA mentioned how close the machines were, she was a bundle of raw nerves. The AI listened to her vitals, noting the quick cadence of her breath and the thudding pound that indicated she could have been sprinting rather than standing still. 

"Elisabet?" GAIA asked tentatively.

The redhead felt shaky and sick. She had to get it together. Get it the _fuck_ together. She'd done this before. She could do it again. 

"GAIA, what the _fuck_ is wrong with me?" she whispered in haunted tones, back sliding against the stone wall until her knees were hugged to her chest. 

"ELEUTHIA's preliminary diagnosis would indicate significant post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression along with occasional insomnia and night terrors."

"I used to be better at this," Elisabet muttered. "I used to be stronger. I didn't _fucking_ reseed the Earth by crying all the _goddamn_ time," she seethed.

"I would argue that you are handling things infinitely better now."

"I'm a _goddamn_ mess, GAIA. How is that better?"

"It is better than bottling it all up," GAIA retorted, her projection coming into view, a look that was a strange mix of love and anger showing on her face. "Or do you wish to revisit how much better you think you were then?"

And suddenly Elisabet recalled a particularly terrible night a thousand years ago and just a hundred yards away, locked in the underground Zero Dawn facility. The newsfeeds had been getting worse, the general tenor more and more sober and somber, the body count increasing by the hour. She'd been on edge for a week straight after a few hiccups with ELEUTHIA and ARTEMIS, and she'd been popping anti-anxiety meds like candy just to blunt the never ending ache she felt every damn minute. She'd tripled her allotment over the last several days. With Prime access, who was going to tell her no? There was work to do and she'd be damned if she was going to let her _weakness_ slow her down. By the time midnight rolled around, she'd lost count and hadn't thought twice about it until she'd taken her last. 

Twenty minutes later and her heart was racing like it would break her ribs, her hands shaking and twitching. Fuck, had she...? She hadn't meant to and suddenly she found herself staggering and calling for GAIA privately on her Focus, telling the AI to lock all communications and her door, forbidding the machine woman from ever telling what had transpired. The AI had walked her through managing a minor overdose, which found Elisabet desperately vomiting up a combination of coffee and Xanax. She’d spent the night chugging water with her lights dimmed and debating whether or not she should have just taken more instead, topped it off with a little alcohol and accepted a more mundane death.

"You know I wasn't trying to kill myself," Elisabet said bitterly, coming back to the present. "I was out of my mind with anxiety. It was a mistake, that's all."

"You were also not trying hard to avoid it," GAIA noted. Elisabet didn't contradict her. She recalled having spoken aloud some of the darkest and most awful thoughts she’d ever had to the AI that night. Partly to keep herself awake and focused while the medication worked its way out of her system. Partly because she knew if she’d ever spoken it to anyone else, she might just get herself deemed unfit, despite it being the end of the world. She didn’t dare have the audacity to claim it had happened any other way. "I have seen you go down the same self destructive paths more than once, Elisabet, not only during project Zero Dawn but earlier this year as well. You were beginning to exhibit destructive behaviors after Aloy was injured; the two of you are so similar in this regard."

"I--"

"I am not trying to ridicule your past," GAIA said, placing a translucent hand on the redhead's shoulder. "But, this time? You cried and held our daughter. You allowed Petra to care for you and to lighten the load. You may feel out of control, but I would argue that you have more of it than you did before. You are tethered to something closer."

I have _her_ now, and it just...makes everything sharper. Hits closer to home."

"It does for me as well, Elisabet. That is why we must keep moving forward to ensure we do everything we can. For Aloy's survival. For everyone's survival. You _can_ do this. In you, all things are possible."

\------

Talanah was miserable--hot and sore and numb, exhausted and ravenous all at once. And yet she couldn't tear her eyes away from the sheer beauty of the land around her. It seemed to stretch on forever, the light hitting the mountains in ways that cast purple and blue shadows into the carved rock. The sky was astounding and wide with brilliant pinks and oranges streaking through in fantastic brushstrokes, and unending views of a vast and awe-inspiring land that was slowly becoming more lush. 

Her ears were filled with a steady stream of GAIA's recounting: facts about the land they now traversed, an ecological compare and contrast exercise, anything that would help keep her awake and engaged. Anything to keep her going straight into the waiting maw of the Cauldron without losing her nerve.

Daylight was bleeding out and the Sun-Hawk found herself looking over in the distance toward Aloy, her strider's gait slowing, the woman she loved framed in a fiery silhouette by the setting sun. The sight of it took her breath away and made her chest ache. Tired, dirty, and forlorn, she was still the most beautiful thing Talanah had ever seen. The only thing she ever wanted to see. And suddenly she found herself considering that maybe Aloy _would_ be the last thing she'd ever see if this all went sideways. 

Maybe she could live with that.

Maybe she could die with that.

But by the Sun, how _desperately_ she wanted to _live_ with that. 

She found herself imagining a future that burned so bright she could barely stand to look. A life spent by Aloy's side, no longer wrapped in solely her own strength. She was dazzling light that eclipsed the Sun itself: heat and fire she would let herself burn in if it meant being in the huntress' presence. She wanted forever.

Was it too much to ask?

\------

Talanah practically moaned at the sight of fresh water and a place to set up camp. Every muscle ached and her bones cracked painfully as she dismounted her strider. She swore to herself as she stretched, privately pledging that if she and Aloy ever returned to the beautiful Forbidden West, she would _never_ take such a pace again.

She was surprised that they hadn't run into anyone, though it wasn't as if they'd stuck around any one place long enough to explore. Still, her keen huntress' eyes had caught the signs. Curiously discarded scrap here. Broken branches and brush there. Tribes either _had_ lived in the area or still did, and part of her wished they had the time to learn more. For now, though, she found herself grateful that they appeared to be alone, her Focus revealing nothing but some small game in the surrounding brush and desert. 

"I'll see what I can hunt quickly," Aloy said, easing herself off her strider. "We need to actually eat something tonight."

Talanah nodded and walked forward to take Aloy's hand, kissing her knuckles. "Hurry back."

The redhead took off, slinging her bow around her shoulder, clearly glad to be on her own two feet again.

"GAIA, where are we?" Talanah asked, gingerly unpacking their bedrolls and gathering available fallen branches and wood for a fire. 

"You are in the area formerly known as Silver Lake. It will take you roughly an hour and a half to reach the Cauldron when you wake. I did not want to select an area too close and risk your safety."

Talanah hummed agreement and eyed the lake longingly as she started the fire. If she was going to die tomorrow, she wanted to spend her last night on Earth clean. She slowly pulled off her traveling clothes, setting them aside. She could wash them later. If there was a later.

Instead she slipped into the water, which had been surprisingly well heated by the sun during the day and now as the last rays of sun were disappearing over the horizon, the Sun-Hawk was almost whimpering with the soothing sensation. She sunk down, letting the water lap at her collarbone as she scrubbed and soaked her hair. Suddenly, she was aware of another presence at the water's edge, a small gasp escaping her as Aloy stepped forward in all her naked glory.

"Hey there," the redhead said.

"Hey," Talanah responded, biting her lip. 

This wasn't the time, she knew this wasn't the time. But still, she couldn't help but gaze at Aloy lovingly, eyes tracing the curve of her hips and the muscle of her shoulders. She lingered on the long, raised, pink scars on Aloy's side before she reached forward to gingerly trace them with her fingers, urging the redhead further in.

"Here, take some," Aloy offered, holding out her hand. She offered Talanah a vial of liquefied wild ember. It wouldn't be the same as getting the days of rest they really needed, but it was enough. They each took a swig, Aloy tossing the empty vial back to shore. The Sun-Hawk shuddered at the warm feeling as it slid down her throat, the potion quickly providing a pleasant tingle in her limbs.

She pressed herself close to Aloy's body, letting their foreheads touch, savoring each moment as one of her last. 

"Here, let me," the Sun-Hawk offered, hands softly scrubbing along Aloy's skin, fingers gently carding through to wash wild red hair. Her palms caressed along the girl's scars, both old and new, revering them. Honoring them, and all Aloy had done to earn them.

The two finished getting clean, letting touches and glances linger until they returned to shore, gathering lighter clothes for the night. Aloy set about expertly skinning and skewering two rabbits, placing the meat over the fire. She grabbed a small vial of cooking herbs she kept in a pouch. She didn't worry about rationing it out--if this was their her taste of meat, she was going to savor it. The two women set about silently preparing their weapons, health tinctures, and ammunition for the morning to come. Aloy laced a few arrows with chillwater and tipped a few others with blaze. She wasn't quite sure what the weaknesses of these new machines would be, and needed to be prepared for any possibility. 

When the meat was roasted to Aloy's satisfaction they ate, the two sighing in delight at the first substantial meal they'd had in days. 

"This is good," Talanah complimented around a mouthful of food.

Aloy smirked. "And you said the Nora don't know how to use spice."

The Sun-Hawk finished her bite and kissed the side of the girl's head. "But you're Aloy _despite_ the Nora," she teased.

The redhead smiled to herself. "This is true."

They finished, the two spending quiet moments by the fire with occasional whispered words of affection and reassurance, each woman trying to infuse the other with strength and confidence. There was no alternative. There could be no failure. And if they were _good_ and lucky, they might just get to live out the forever each desperately wanted.

"We should sleep," Talanah said, an air of finality on her lips. She didn't want these last moments to end. Didn't want to wake into the inevitable pain and bloodshed of the morning. 

"Would you like to contact your mother before retiring for the evening?" came GAIA's voice in Aloy's ear.

The redhead froze, her throat tightening. They'd said their goodbyes, and she wasn't good at them in the first place. If she did so now, she wondered whether she'd have the nerve to willingly walk into the Cauldron in the morning. 

Aloy frowned. "Can you just tell her...tell her I love her? I don't think...if I say anything else, I'll never go through with it," she admitted, voice cracking.

GAIA made a sound in agreement before responding a few seconds later. "She says to tell you that she knows neither of you are good at goodbyes. A 'family trait', she claims. And that she loves you both, and to make it home safely. I echo Elisabet's sentiments, Aloy. I love you both and I wish for you to come home unharmed. I will be with you until you enter the Cauldron and I will be able to reach you again the moment you have overridden HEPHAESTUS for me to reintegrate."

"Thanks, GAIA," Talanah breathed softly.

"I wish you both a pleasant sleep." 

The two crawled over to their bedrolls, placed side by side. The night was beginning to take on a chill and the stars shined bright in the solemn darkness of the desert. Both women laid down, the two sharing a blanket, each attempting to shake their nerves and fall asleep quickly. Every moment awake was a moment of rest lost. 

After several minutes, Aloy stirred, clearly unable to calm herself enough. She reached for the Sun-Hawk only to find she was equally awake. The redhead allowed herself to shift and press her weight into Talanah, curling into her chest and shoulder only to find the throb in the Sun-Hawk's throat all too appealing, the steady rush of her heart and pulse of her body indication enough that they were _alive,_ for tonight, anyway. She'd be damned if she threw that away. 

Aloy slowly and softly began to kiss along Talanah's throat, taking her time with painfully slow motions until the dark-haired woman leaned over to catch her lips. The redhead began to open the loose night shirt Talanah wore, hands searching for purchase that caused the Sun-Hawk to gasp and press into her touch. The pads of Aloy's fingers rolled over sensitive skin before replacing them with her mouth and Talanah made a noise of building anticipation, which only spurred the girl on further. Aloy smirked against her skin, taking her mouth away only for Talanah to whimper in gentle protest until she slid off the Sun-Hawk's remaining clothes, moving lower to position herself between Talanah's hips, spreading her legs and hooking one arm around each.

Aloy looked up at her, a glint of mischievousness and adoration in her gaze before she began to kiss and lap her way along the huntress' thighs.

"What are you doing?" Talanah asked breathlessly, as if she didn't know. She was _more_ than well versed in the act, but there was no time. They were going to march to their deaths tomorrow. How could they be doing this _now?_ How could Aloy bring herself to act like there wasn't some horrible looming threat that hung above them? How could she be so gentle and generous and all the very things Talanah wanted without a single thought? It was almost too good. Almost too much. How did she _deserve_ this, knowing just how scared and traumatized Aloy was?

Aloy looked up at her in earnest, not pulling away. "If we die tomorrow," she began, slowly kissing between each pause, "I want the last thing I feel-" she kissed again, closer this time, "the last thing I breathe-" she continued, tantalizingly near, "the last thing I _taste,_ to be _you._ "

A keening cry echoed through the empty desert, the stars dimming in comparison to the fiery blaze that had set her alight.

\------

There had been three times in Elisabet's Sobeck's life where she had _begged_ the cosmos to be safe in her mother's arms. 

The first came the moment she'd gotten the ill-fated phone call that her mother was dead—that Miriam Sobeck, in all her fire and fury and grace, had gone somewhere Elisabet couldn’t follow. 

The second was as she sat, dying on her family ranch, surrounded by nothing more than memory and the ghosts of what could have been. 

And now, as she and Petra stood at the fortified wall of Sunfall, braced and ready for the onslaught of machines, she found herself desperately wishing for the soothing embrace of her mother once again. 

Scouts had picked them up in the distance an hour earlier and the two women had wasted no time in gathering their weapons and ensuring the others followed suit. Erend and the rest of the Vanguard rallying the Carja troops to prepare. It was too important not to win. It would take everything they had to prevent the machines from reaching Meridian and the Sun-King. Vanasha had arrived sometime just before sunrise, bringing the last of Avad's available troops, ready to fight.

Petra and Elisabet waited, dressed in light Oseram armor at the parapet, fingers laced together as they prepared to wait, the tension tangible, a vibrating discomfort between them.

"Fire and spit, you know I--" Petra began.

"I know," Elisabet reassured. 

Soon enough there was a shout, one of the Carja guard whose eyes had expertly caught the tell-tale glint of sun on new metal. Elisabet stood and perched herself at the ready with her cannon, Petra in charge of the ammunition behind her, her broken arm still bound in a sling against her chest. Elisabet tried to still the tremor in her hands and the nervousness in her stomach. This wasn't like the last war she'd fought. It wasn't only a losing equation. She had to remind herself of that. 

This time was different.

It had to be.

"You look so very like Aloy right now, you know," GAIA chirped in her ear, trying to calm the redhead.

"They doing okay?" Elisabet asked.

"They are still about an hour out from the Cauldron, and will arrive soon," the AI confirmed, and then softly.

"You think we've got a chance?" Elisabet breathed, her eyes on the mass of shining metal steadily growing in size as it approached.

"In you, all things are possible."

Elisabet smirked. One thing was for certain, she wasn't going to go out with a whimper this time, dead and isolated in the wasteland. If HEPHAESTUS was intent on taking her, she'd be damned if she was taking as many machines with her as she could. 

Erend sidled up near the pair, "You two ready for this?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," Petra said, eyeing him. "You sure you should be up here with us instead of the other Vanguard? 

"I've got your back," Erend said. "I made a promise to keep you both safe. One I intend to uphold. Fire and spit, my men know what they're doing."

"Iron and steel," Petra grinned, echoing the old Oseram war cries.

"Iron and steel," Erend nodded.

Elisabet squinted, tapping her Focus. "Shit, they've dropped the aquamaws into the waterways. They'll be swimming upstream toward Meridian," she said, gritting her teeth. 

"Then we hope those girls of ours get finished before they get there," Petra said, determination creasing her brow. "And we hold the line."

"We hold the line," Elisabet agreed, jaw clenched. 

\------

"What _is_ that?" Aloy asked. It was too big to be a river or a lake, and she'd never seen anything so _vast_ so blue. It seemed to stretch out endlessly in a way that almost suggested the curvature of the very Earth itself.

"That, child, is the Pacific Ocean," GAIA replied.

"What's-what's an _ocean?_ " she responded, in awe.

"A salt-based body of water many millions of times bigger than you've even seen. Humans cannot drink from it but even now, it is teeming with fish and other aquatic flora and fauna. Of all the animal species I was able to restore without human assistance, the ocean holds the greatest variety as it was least disruptive to tribal development."

"I've never seen anything like this," Talanah added, taking Aloy's hand. "But I'm glad it was with you, little Thrush."

They'd decided to go that last several hundred feet by foot, leaving the striders a safe distance behind with their things. It was easier than trying to hide them from whatever hostile machines might be prowling. The two crouched, shifting through tall red grasses silently, finding the imposing facility looming not far from them. It was built into the hillside, but even the front façade was several times larger than any Cauldron Aloy had previously discovered. 

"Wait," Aloy breathed, tapping her Focus. "Sawtooths outside the entrance. We'll have to keep low to get around them. I don't want to chance alerting HEPHAESTUS to our presence."

Talanah nodded in agreement, pulling her bow from her back to hold at her side.

"You ready for this?" Aloy asked "Last chance to pull out."

"Never," Talanah said. " _Never,_ you hear me?" She pulled Aloy in for one last, linger kiss.

Goddess, she hoped it wasn't the last.

\------

The scene was quickly becoming chaos, firewings maintaining their distance while raining down fiery projectiles, steelmanes circling like the very predators they were modeled after. 

"Take cover!" someone shouted from below, and another hailstorm of flaming detritus fell through the sky. 

Elisabet aimed at an encroaching steelmane, her gaze catching its sharp claws as she squeezed the trigger on the cannon, feeling like she'd gotten the wind knocked out of her almost every time she did. Petra was _not_ kidding about the recoil. 

"That's for Aloy, _fucker,_ " she breathed, her arms shaking with the weight of the firearm. 

"Lis, over there!" Petra called out, loading more ammunition into the cannon. 

"Got it!" Elisabet shouted in response, aiming high toward the firewing and letting the weapon fire again. The gun kicked hard enough that she _knew_ there would be a bruise. If she lived long enough to bruise.

"They keep coming, sir!" one of the Vanguard shouted at Erend from several feet away.

"Don't let them flank us!" Erend ordered. "They do that, and we're dead!"

"Yes sir!"

Carja and Oseram troops alike poured along the sides of Sunfall, attempting to stave off the machines. Another blast hit the ground close. Too close. Dirt flew into the air, covering Elisabet and Petra. The redhead immediately turned to shield the Oseram woman from the debris with her body, dropping the heavy gun.

"It'll take more than that to break me!" Petra shouted over the din of battle. She pulled Elisabet close. "Do _not_ trade that cannon for me again."

Elisabet nodded grimly, hoisting the gun back up. 

The Carja troops shot and blasted, nocking arrows tipped with fire and ice while the Oseram manned their weapons. They were getting closer and Elisabet could feel the sweat drip down her chest in equal parts fear and exertion. Fuck. 

She shot again and again, joining the chorus of gunfire the shattered the air around her while Erend used a sling to toss a few bombs into the distance. Petra reloaded her gun again when they both heard a scream. Elisabet turned just in time to see one of the steelmanes claw its way through a Carja soldier, slicing him open like it was _nothing._ It cast the body aside with a sick _thump._

A moment of hushed realization appeared to descend on the troops before a rallying war cry went up, individual soldiers rushing forward to take out the machine. The scent of blood and death slowly began to fill the air. 

"How we doing, GAIA?" Elisabet shouted. 

"Casualties are increasing," the AI warned. 

Of course they were.

Of _course_ they were. Images from old newsfeeds flashed before her eyes, recalling the numbers of dead. How many bodies had she hand-fed to Ted's meat grinder? 

How many more would die for this system?

\------

The two huntresses had managed to avoid detection, Aloy finding the entrance without much difficulty and overriding the lock. They stepped through the triangular opening and the redhead instantly tapped a few settings on her Focus.

"What are you doing?" Talanah asked, amazed at the complex circuitry and architecture of the place. It clearly wasn't meant for humans, but there was a strange beauty in its mechanisms.

"If this Cauldron is like any other, it should have a core I can override. I'm telling the Focus to guide us toward it. HEPHAESTUS has to be in the core so that it can gain control of all the Cauldron's functions. That's usually the easy part. Hard part is getting there."

The two silently padded through the geometric hallways, breathing hot, acrid air that tasted of metal and machine oils. They rounded a corner and found several watchers chirping. Aloy halted, gesturing toward Talanah, intent clear. Aloy readied her spear while Talanah nocked an arrow. They set about dispatching the machines in the room, expertly seizing upon blindspots to take them out unseen before moving into the next hall.

The room opened up into a series of rotating wheel-like gears and platforms. "Looks like we go up," Aloy remarked.

Talanah raised her eyebrow in question. 

"Follow me."

The pair climbed along handholds not meant for even the most skilled human hands, using every bit of strength to scale the room, jumping from hold to hold. They reached the top, panting for breath before continuing along a catwalk that took them over areas filled with hot molten metals and casts.

"So this is how machines are made," Talanah mused breathlessly, watching automated arms assemble parts.

The Sun-Hawk came to a stop, wondering where to go next. They had reached the end of the platform, with nowhere else to go.

"Look up," Aloy said.

Talanah's eyes caught the side of cargo crates that appeared to fly through the air on some invisible track, clamping arms that crackled with electricity appeared to ferry them in the correct direction though the Sun-Hawk had no idea how.

Aloy sheathed her spear, rubbing her hands while her body tensed. 

"What are you doing?"

"Jumping."

"Oh by the Sun, please tell me this is a _joke._ "

\------

"Vanasha, where are you?" Erend called into his Focus.

"With my contingent. We're holding our own," came the reply. 

At least there was that, Elisabet thought, because all else was going to hell. 

The battle had worn on for nearly two hours; every time a wave of machines fell, more seemed to take their place. It felt endless and the troops were beginning to tire and take increasingly heavy hits from the machines. The steelmanes in particular were difficult to destroy, their heavy shielding around the vulnerable innards of their necks made damaging them exceedingly hard.

"GAIA, give me some good news!" Elisabet shouted as one of the firewings dove, firing upon them. She felt shrapnel hit and leather of her armor, and she found herself increasingly grateful to be wearing it. 

"Aloy and Talanah have not yet emerged from the Cauldron, and I cannot monitor within," came the reply. 

"Shit. Oh fuck, Petra!" Elisabet shouted, gunning down another machine. Yet another barrage of fire came down on them, this time the blast far too close. 

"We need to abandon this post!" Erend shouted. "They're getting too close! Pull back and regroup," he ordered, unsheathing his hammer.

A handful of affirmative answers rose from the surrounding Carja and Oseram, Petra and Elisabet agreeing readily. The redhead quickly dropped the cannon, knowing it was too heavy to drag away and that more were laced throughout Sunfall. The three of them ran, Erend doing his best to keep his eyes alert and the two older women in view. He'd taken his attention away from Ersa and look where that had gotten her. He wouldn't repeat the mistake again. He wouldn't let it happen. He couldn't.

The three circled and sprinted, Elisabet grabbing Petra by her good wrist, leading the way with Erend bringing up the rear when they heard the screech of a diving firewing.

"Take cover!" someone screamed.

Elisabet looked up, moving to shove Petra out of the way. She could die for this monster she'd created. She'd earned it. She deserved it. But Petra? God, not her. _Not her._

She had to.

She had--

She--

The world went black.

\------

"Sun and Shadow, Aloy, this place is a curse," Talanah muttered. She was hot and tired and on edge. As they'd progressed through the Cauldron, more and more machines had made their appearance. So far they'd felled two ravagers, several stalkers and more watchers than they could count. "How much longer until we get to the core?""

"We're a little over halfway according to my Focus," the redhead answered, brow slicked with sweat as they continued leap from ledge to ledge, following an impossible path never meant to be traversed by anything that wasn't metal.

"Does it always take this long?"

"Normally I would have been done and already out by now. No wonder HEPHAESTUS seated itself here. This place is huge," Aloy noted.

They entered a large, cavernous room, curiously devoid of any other machines--a change of pace after the last several they'd encountered. The room was darker, more foreboding than the others seemed to be lined with machinery Aloy had never seen before. The redhead's skin tingled and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. 

"I don't like this," she muttered under her breath. 

"Like what-" Talanah began, but instantly cut herself off. They'd heard it. Both of them. Some mechanical growl that had pierced the thick air, deadly and threatening. 

Aloy instantly reacted. She knew that sound all too well. The one that sat at the back of her mind only rearing up when she dared to try and remember. Dared to bring herself to experience it all over again. She pulled her bow and nocked a fire arrow. The Sun-Hawk didn't have to ask why, following suit without question. 

The growl came again and heavy steps echoed in the chamber when it emerged into the relatively low purple-blue lights. The machine was coiled, ready to pounce, its synthetic muscle rippling and protective layers of metal ready to strike.

Aloy and Talanah lurched, each leaping in a different direction, letting their arrows fly. The steelmane lashed out with a heavily clawed paw, swiping at the Sun-Hawk's exposed belly; one of the pitfalls of traditional Carja hunting gear. Talanah dodged narrowly, spinning to shoot again, watching as her arrows harmlessly bounced off the thick metal of the machine, its mane protecting the important mechanisms.

"Damn, these aren't working!" she shouted, switching to grab for her sling and ice bombs. If she couldn't penetrate the exterior, perhaps she could at least freeze it and slow the steelmane down.

Aloy leapt forward, rolling out of the way of the next strike before shooting the machine in the face with a flame-tipped arrow. It roared, the echo reverberating in the cavernous room. The steelmane appeared angered but relatively undamaged and the redhead swallowed in fear. It leapt forward again, large paw batting at her. She turned just enough to miss the sharp points of the claws, rolling in toward the machine itself. The impact caught her, slamming her into the wall and knocking the wind out of her lungs. 

"Aloy!" Talanah screamed, running. She launched several freeze bombs in a row, catching the machine off guard as ice crackled along the metal, temporarily freezing it in place. The Sun-Hawk bent low next to the redhead's crumpled form. "Get up!" she urged. "Come on!"

Aloy groaned and picked herself up off the floor feeling every bone and muscle crack and burn, taking a deep breath and then gasping from the pain. A cracked rib, almost certainly. She grimaced. She couldn't afford to slow down. They had to beat this thing _now._

The redhead reached for a tearblast arrow. If she could just blow off the steel plating around its neck, they might have a chance. 

"Distract it," she huffed to Talanah. "I'm going to try to knock off all the plating at once."

The Sun-Hawk nodded and took off, just as the steelmane was starting to move again, catching its red-lit eyes. 

"Come on, you monster!" she screamed. "Come and get me!"

She ran, continuing to pelt the beast with more bombs of every type she had while Aloy shuffled to her left, hiding behind a small pillar. The redhead quickly nocked three tearblast arrows at once, knowing she'd need every ounce of power she could get. She loaded her powershot bow and pulled back the string as far as it would go, using every second Talanah could give her to get the best shot.

Talanah dove and slid, but was tiring on her own and the steelmane was closing the distance between them. Aloy strained to find the right angle for the shot as they moved until she realized it all too late: Talanah was cornered. 

The steelmane swiped at her and Talanah's scream told her she'd been on the receiving end of its claws. 

"Talanah, no!" Aloy yelled, loosing her arrows. 

The Sun-Hawk looked up at the beast, its face seething with murderous intent. She could feel her leg throbbing and wet with blood where it had struck. She was going to die here. She knew it. It's what she'd signed up for.

And if it was for Aloy, well, maybe that was as good a death as she could hope for. 

For a split second, she wondered what it might have been like to grow old by her side.

\------

She didn't know where she was, but she had the _distinct_ feeling of her mother hovering over her. The same way she always had when she was sick or going through a particularly rough time. Was she dead? Asleep? Where was the line between the two?

Did it matter?

A vague and dreamy image of Miriam Sobeck appeared to lean over her, hair long and fiery and eyes warm and full of love, wearing the Agarium-branded sweatshirt she'd seen her in so many times as a child.

"Time to get up, kiddo."

She knew she didn't want to. Whatever it was she had to do, it was too much. Too tiring. Too overwhelming. She tried to hide her face and ignore the command. 

"Come on, up," Miriam chided softly. 

"Don't want to," Elisabet mumbled. Her body felt heavy, stiff. Like she'd been thrown. Had she been? What was she doing before this?

Miriam chuckled to herself and gently caressed the side of Elisabet's face. "Nobody wants to, baby girl. But you _have_ to."

Elisabet's protest caught in her throat. Whether she was dead or this was some fucked up waking dream, there were better things she could say. Things she _had_ to say. "I miss you, Mom. So, so, much," she breathed. 

"I miss you too," Miriam said, letting her thumb smooth along Elisabet's cheek. 

"There's...there's so much I want to tell you. So much has happened. I wish you could meet Aloy--she's my--my daughter. You'd love her."

"Of course I'd love her," Miriam soothed, "I love _you_." And for a second, her appearance seemed to _change_ somehow, and Elisabet wasn't quite sure if she was looking at Miriam or Aloy or some combination of the two. 

"Mom, what do I do?" Elisabet asked.

"Heal the world," Miriam replied as if it were the simplest thing ever. "But first you need to get up, kiddo." The words rang over and over in Elisabet's head.

_Get up, kiddo._

_Get up, kiddo._

_Get up, kiddo._

"Get up, Lis!" came an all too familiar voice. 

Elisabet's eyes shot open and Petra was hovering over her, eyes red and teary, and skin peppered with cuts and scrapes, some more severe than others. "Oh thank the forge," the Oseram breathed. "I thought you might not wake up."

Elisabet gingerly touched her hairline, fingertips coming away wet and sticky with red-black blood. Her head was _pounding._ She looked around to find herself surrounded by various Oseram and Carja soldiers. It appeared that they had fallen back to some temporary shelter beneath an outcropping of rock. 

"Why do I feel like shit?" Elisabet asked. "What happened?"

Petra's eyes glassed and fresh tears spilled down her face. "Erend..." she said, but it was all she could get out before choking on her tears. She squeezed the redhead's hand tightly. 

Elisabet moved to get up and everything spun. 

"Be careful, Elisabet," GAIA warned. "Readings indicate you have a mild concussion."

"GAIA? GAIA, what happened?"

"You could have died," GAIA said, voice shaky. " _You could have died, Elisabet._ You and Petra both."

"So why didn't we? I think we were...running? I was going to push Petra out of the way..."

"You moved a moment too late," the AI explained. "But Erend caught it in time. He slammed into you both full force, knocking you away from the firewing's projectile."

"GAIA, where is he?" she asked, adrenaline making her feel sick to her stomach.

She looked around, the movement still making everything spin before she caught sight of a lumpy sheet nearby, soaked in blood. 

Oh.

Oh no.

She stood, grunting with effort as Petra kept her palm at the small of her back. "No, Lis, you shouldn't look, it's..."

But Elisabet was already up. Determined to know. She had to know. She had to bear the burden of witness.

She moved to the sheet, bodies around her frantic and tending to the injured, or to reloading the cannons and heading back into the fray. Elisabet lifted it only for her horror to be amplified a thousandfold. 

There was Erend, dead-eyed and unblinking, armor scorched, parts of him _missing,_ most of his lower body--or what remained of it--a pool of blood and viscera.

Her eyes went wide and Elisabet turned, vomiting violently. Whether from the head injury or the sheer horror and grief, she didn't know.

It had happened again.

Another person had died for her _goddamn system._


End file.
